Working on my fourth book

This year was very exciting for me because I wrote and illustrated three children's books.  I spoke about them a few posts ago, but to review, they are,,,"I saw a purple monkey" "The Shell Lady of Cecil Bay" and "The Spooky ABCs of Halloween."

All of these books can be found on Amazon.com.  Here's a link that will send you to all three..

One of my teacher friends really loved the purple monkey book and suggested I start a series.  She enjoyed my subtle teaching of the proper use of see, saw and have seen and all of the colors of the rainbow.  Her idea was to continue writing about the adventures of the Purple Monkey incorporating grammar lessons into the story.

I liked that idea and have been working for the past few months on "You're Naughty, Purple Monkey."  My deadline is November 30, 2012.  I want it to be available for Christmas shopping.  It's the story of the purple monkey and teaches, once again, subtly, the correct use of Your and You're and the days of the week.

I've done all of the illustrations in an Eric Carle style of collage.  I designed all of the paper and use them in the illustrations.  I think my books have a unified look and I enjoy illustrating them in this way.  I'll keep you updated on the publication date and in the meantime here are some sneak preview images of the book.

  The illustrations won't have my watermark on it and will have text of the story.

What are you thankful for?

For those of you who have facebook accounts have you noticed the daily thanks that friends are posting?

Somehow I always miss out on the beginnings of these kinds of committments, like the 365 days of crafting commitments or learn a new word each day,,etc.  I usually discover them about half way through or two days after the sign up is closed. 

But, because of my blog here I can make my own days of thanks and since I have such a hard time with commitments, I'll list what I'm thankful for all in one shot. 

1. I'm thankful, everyday, for my children and my grandchildren.  I could actually stop there and be fine with it, cause they are definitely the most important part of my life,,but I'll continue.
2. I'm thankful that I'm intelligent.I'm thankful to my parents who insisted that I got a good education.
3. I'm thankful for my talent.  Once again, my parents allowed me to take lots of art lessons at the Detroit Institute of Arts, an experience that shaped me into living a creative life.
4. I'm thankful for the rest of my family, like my sister and nephew and cousins and aunts and uncles.
5. I'm thankful for my son for rescuing me and letting me come and live with him for awhile.
6. I'm thankful for my sensitivity to my surroundings.
7. I'm thankful for my faith in God and thankful to him for hanging there with me when I wasn't so faithful.
8. I'm thankful for my boyfriend who makes me laugh and always is agreeable to any idea I have.
9. I'm beginning to be thankful for my quirks and idiosyncrasies, something I've struggled to accept in the past but am starting to embrace.  (it's about time, since I'm not going to live forever.)
10. I'm thankful for my good memory that is enhanced by a smell, a song, a feeling.  Having along term memory is such a gift.  I just wish my short term was as good.
11. I'm thankful for the internet, because without it, I would still be doing craft shows.  I just can't do them anymore,,they are tiring and frustrating.  
12. I'm thankful for all kinds of books and music. Life would be so dull without them.

I think I'll stop there.   I think that's enough.  Maybe next year I can be thankful for better health and more money.  I guess better health is enough.

What are you thankful for?

It's been awhile....

There is nothing worse than making excuses, but I'll try.  It was a very busy summer for me.  My son got married and my daughter had a baby.  We had a bridal shower, baby shower, along with that.  I also painted a 4 foot by 4 foot fiberglass lion for Detroit Lion town.











I also went to Mackinaw City in June and August and might be going again in

October.  I love it so much up there, I would move there in a second, except I'm find of attached to my adult children who all live near me.  I sure wish we could all move together.   I guess it's ok to dream though, although I'm not going to give up on that idea.

Sunset and Silhouettes

I love seagulls

Can you hear the waves?

My favorite beach I've ever been to.

All the while though, I was busy making clay cake toppers and ornaments.  I also wrote and illustrated three children's books.  "What???" you might say.  Yes, I spent hours, days and weeks writing.  I illustrated the books in the style of Eric Carle with some slight changes.  I designed my own papers in photoshop, printed them, made collages, scanned them and then manipulated them back in photoshop.  It was so much work yet fun the whole time I was doing it.   I worked 12 hours a day producing these books and I'm happy with how they turned out.

The first book is called, "I Saw a Purple Monkey."  I then wrote, "The Shell Lady of Cecil Bay." and finally, "Scary ABCs of Halloween."   Please go over to my face book page for more information.  My face book page..please like!

In the next few days I'll be posting some of my current toppers and Halloween items.  Here's a sneak peak.

Spring Time Clay

Wonder who lives in this little fairy house?

I love owls, in nature and in my studio. I hope my admiration shows in my clay renditions.

Lots of bunnies!

Teddy bear cake topper.

I've been busy making all kinds of clay cake toppers, fairies, pixies, and bunnies!

I've been making more folkart bunnies.

I really enjoy making these bird cake toppers.

I'm getting ready to do a trade show in Petosky, Michigan so I've been producing new clay dolls and cake toppers like a crazy woman!

Remember, I do custom designs. Email me at garritygal@yahoo.com if you are interested in something special.

Fairy Houses

Ever since I was a child I was fascinated with the land of miniatures. It probably started with The Friendly Giant and 4 containers of play dough. I remember making miniature furniture for the Flintstones. When my Dad cut down the cherry tree in our front yard he showed me how to make little houses with the sticks. I make houses all over the front yard that day. It was my own little village and each house had it's own fence and stone well and little path. I stacked little piles of wood near the back doors so the inhabitants of those houses could have a warm winter.

When my kids were older I helped them make dioramas for school and I built a miniature battle field for my sons. When we went on vacation I showed the kids around us how to make little houses and villages up on a bluff behind my tent. The ground was moss and sand and there was an abundance of pebbles and sticks. We all had our own little house and all weekend we worked on that little village.

This sense of wonderment has never left me. I love to make little fairy houses in the woods when we travel. I never use anything that I bring with me: I only use what I find on the ground,,twigs, sticks, vines, acorns and moss. I like to find the hollow of a tree and I make my little house, It always has a pebble pathway leading to the door.

I've noticed that this year miniature gardens and fairy houses have taken off all over the internet. (Naturally, I'm ahead of my time but behind in the money,,lol).

I've spent the last few weeks making little fairy houses and furniture. It's relaxing and since I have a big show coming up next week, I'm hoping that I'll sell some.







I'll be posting more pics of my mini furniture and fairy gardens in a few days. Till then remember, "Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night.
Edgar Allan Poe

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_imagination3.html#ixzz1oeCpIjf4

Rag doll tutorial

Recently the Detroit News wrote a little article about me and my clay. Here's a link...

I thought you might like to try out the tutorial yourself..have fun!

Polymer Clay Rag Doll

Level: Beginner

Estimated time: 1 hour

Tools: Scissors, wire cutters, black Sharpie pen, wax paper, cookie sheet

Supplies: 2-ounce packages of Sculpey Polymer Clay in white, beige and blue; 1/8 yard of fabric, colorful yarn, 18-gauge wire; acrylic paint in white, red and black; two toothpicks

Instructions

1. Tear fabric into 5 strips, measuring 3 inches x 1/2 inch. Cut 5 pieces of wire into 11/4-inch lengths. Wrap a piece of wire around center of one strip, twisting to tighten around fabric. Repeat with all strips.

2. Now, cut yarn into 3 inches x 1/2-inch lengths. Gather 5 at a time and wrap wire around center, twisting a few times.

3. Roll out a 11/2-inch circle of white clay. Form into tear drop and stand upright for body.

4. Roll out two tubes of beige clay, about 2 inches long. Attach each tube to base of white clay, applying pressure. These are the legs. Turn up edges to form feet.

5. Roll out a 2-inch ball of blue clay and flatten to form circle for dress. Lay over body and legs. Gently form clay around them, making sure back is covered.

6. Roll out two 11/2-inch tubes of blue. Attach one to each upper side of body on dress for arms.

7. Make two 5 mm balls of beige clay. Attach one to bottom of each arm for hands. Insert toothpick straight down body.

8. Make a 1-inch ball of beige and push onto toothpick to attach body. Gently insert a wired yarn piece to side of head, then another. Continue inserting yarn, then fabric, all over head.

9. Preheat oven to exactly 260 degrees. When fully heated, bake doll on cookie sheet 20 minutes. Turn oven off. Let cool completely before applying face paint.

10. Pour a little black, red and white acrylic paint on wax paper. Dip wood tip of paint brush into white paint and apply eyes. Let dry. Next, dip tip into black paint. Apply small dot of black paint over the white. Use toothpick to paint triangle nose, then Sharpie to draw smile and eyelashes.

Monkey Cake Toppers and more

I am on such a monkey kick.

I've been making monkey cake toppers.

Monkey Christmas Ornaments....

Baby Monkeys

Monkey Valentines........


Even Monkey
tags!



There is something so sweet and silly about monkeys that I just can't resist.

Stay tuned to see what other clay babies I'll be creating!

Pete the Popcorn

Thought I would mention my very good friends, Joe and Nick, and their new book that they have been working on, called Pete the Popcorn!

It is a wonderfully written child's picture book and it will be available soon on Amazon. Nick has started a blog to keep us all updated on Pete's story and the actual day that the book goes on sale. Here is a link to his blog.

I've had some sneak peeks and it's such a cute story, I can't wait to get my own copy and read it to my grand-kids.

I am so excited for my friends and wish them all kinds of success. They have such great ideas. I don't know if they know how much they inspire me! All of this book business has made me dust off some old manuscripts from my past and see if there's something I can do.

I'm so busy with my clay I doubt that I'll ever get around to doing that, but it's thrilling to see Nick and Joe go after their dream. They've even started another story! Great!

Go check out Pete's blog and watch for the date that Pete will be available. I want to be the first to buy a copy..Guess I'll camp out by the computer that day!