Valentine's Day

If you're like me, when faced with something crafty that needs to be done, once you've searched through and exhausted your mental reservoir, you hit Pinterest.

My task -- to make valentines for all of the classroom teachers from the PTA. My added challenge -- a few of the teachers are my Pinterest friends, so odds are decent that if it's a cute idea that I've seen in my feed in the past couple of weeks, they will have, too.

Luckily, I saw something non-valentine related that I had pinned a while back (paper fortune cookies!) and inspiration struck!

We're so FORTUNE-ATE to have you!

Happy Valentine's Day from the (school name) PTA

Materials needed:
paper (I found awesome Valentine's Day themed paper in the bargain bin at Target!)
card stock
ziplock sandwich baggies
stapler
white glue, such as Elmer's or Eileen's Tacky Glue
paperclips


There are numerous tutorials on how to make paper fortune cookies, but here's the one I followed. http://www.kindovermatter.com/2009/03/kind-over-matter-fortune-cookies.html
I tried both gluestick and white glue and suggest using the white glue. The glue stick is a bit harder to hit the exact right area and also to get on thick enough to hold. These puppies want to spring back! Make sure you let them have a few hours to dry totally before taking your paper clips off, whichever glue you use.
I used a jar lid to trace my circles-- easy peasy! Then start something on Netflix and settle in to cut out circles for the next hour or so. (Shhh....it's relaxation time disguised as being very productive.)

I typed up four different "teacher wisdom" phrases for my fortunes and printed out a whole sheet of them. After cutting them apart (a paper cutter will seriously save your sanity), I folded them in half and tucked them  into the fortune cookies. Note: I paired my paper cookies up before choosing the fortunes for each pair to eliminate the odds of a teacher getting two of the same fortunes.

A teacher presents the past, reveals the present, and creates the future.

You will inspire someone today to greatness tomorrow.

A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.

What a teacher writes on the blackboard of life can never be erased.

After bagging each pair of cookies, I cut card stock to fit (folded in half) on top of the bag as a header, and stapled it on.
I hopped onto Photoshop to make up my wording, but you can easily do it by hand with markers. Then I just cut it out and glued it on. I added a strip of another paper to give it a bit more oomph, and VOILA!

I love the way they came out, and they were super easy to make. I'm sure I'll be doing these again some time!

Give it a try!

How to brew a cup of real coffee for way cheaper than buying coffee pods! (Or "How I learned to survive when a Keurig wasn't in the budget")

I'm the only coffee drinker in this house, so brewing a pot every day is a pain. I kind of have to commit to either drinking multiple cups, or end up wasting it. And then I have to clean the pot daily, too. I love the idea of a Kuerig and have used them at friends' houses and in hotels. Handy! But man...between the machine and then the coffee pods, that makes for a costly daily beverage. (I had the option between getting a Nook or a Kuerig last fall and I chose the Nook. I chose correctly.)

I tried the Folgers coffee bags, and found they worked okay, although it took two bags to brew a mug (Who makes only 8oz of coffee? Really?) and it wasn't ground coffee, but rather a blend of ground and instant. They weren't cheap, either.

I wanted the taste of the real stuff without the hassle of brewing a lot. I wanted this to be easy.
And so the experimenting began.

The final result was this method that works beautifully!

What you need:
A tea kettle
Your favorite ground coffee
A 1 tbsp coffee scoop
A coffee mug
A coffee filter
A fine-mesh tea strainer (this is the one I got, but I found it at my grocery store for only $10 http://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew---Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336407624&sr=8-1 )

Step 1 -- Very difficult. Put strainer in cup.

Step 2 -- Push coffee filter down into the strainer.

Step 3 -- Carefully pour a scoop of your coffee into the center of the filter

Step 4 -- Slowly pour the hot water into the center of the filter, making sure not to pour outside the filter as it'll collapse down and let some of the grounds escape into the mesh tea strainer. The mesh is pretty fine, but some of the grounds will be finer.

Step 5 -- Let it steep for a few minutes, then lift and tip a bit to let all the coffee drain. (You can see that I didn't pour carefully and got ground outside the filter. Hey, you try to pour a steaming hot kettle carefully while attempting to take a picture with your left hand! If you do get grounds outside the filter, you can re-pour your coffee through another filter, or just do like I do and let it settle for a minute and then just not drink that last 1/4 inch at the bottom of the cup.)

Step 6 -- Throw your coffee grounds on the mulch pile, let the filter dry so you can toss it in recycling, and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee that tastes like it came straight from the pot for only small change!

Update on 2012...the year of the pb manuscriptathon

It's May already somehow! The 12x12in12 Project has proven to be a wonderful motivator to create this year. I think I'll be adopting this as a personal goal for years to come.
I look at it as a creative writing assignment, and even though each month's output is only rough (very, very, very rough), each one has potential. It might only be an idea that gets used down the road inside of another story, or it might be something that stews and festers and grows into something else altogether. Two of the ideas I've come up with would be horrible as picture books, but I'm hoping to pursue them further as chapter books.

I am absolutely in love with January's picture book concept. I don't really know how the story will end in words, but I saw the images immediately in my head. I've sketched out a few in order to get to know the characters and let them breathe a little. The title is Dust In The Corners...it's about a young boy who learns that perhaps Great Aunt Mildred isn't quite as lonely as everyone assumes.

In my head, this is sort of Miyazaki meets Gorey meets Gaiman. My youngest was about four when she randomly said, "It's silly to be afraid of ghosts. They're just people!" Right on! That was the total inspiration for this story.

I've also hashed out the rough story of Almond, the chipmunk that has adopted my family. For the past four year, this one chipmunk has set up his residence under our patio. While he had a mate the first year, he has been solo ever since. He doesn't seem to care for other chipmunks as he chases them off with vast quantities of bravado (chipmunk bravado includes much squeaking and dashing). Now, I know what you're thinking...1) Chipmunks are big garden pests! and 2) How do you know it's the same chipmunk every year?

1)Yes, the rest of them are big pests! But Almond won't let them eat the flowers in the back. No kidding, he chases them off and leaves all the plants alone.
2) Well, we know it's the same one because we've come to recognize him. He's got a reddish brown coloring to his backside, light charcoal streaks on his face, and he's usually found perched on the tops of the patio chairs staring in the window at us. No other chipmunk has ever done that. Sure, we've had squirrels ride the slide and teeter totter in the yard -- I kid you not. But Almond is the only one to actively get as high and close to the windows to watch us.  It's such a unique thing to do that I snapped a picture the first time I saw it...4 years ago. Ever since, he has been entertaining us. Last summer, he went so far as to sit in the planter about 3 inches from the glass, and stare me down on the other side of the window. When I'd start working at the counter or flip on the news -- anything that made a sound in here, he'd shoot out of his hole to hop up and watch me. In early fall, suddenly we spotted him acting strange. When he turned around, he was missing most of his tail! The hawks like to hunt around here, and I'm guessing one got just a little too close. He seemed to be healing okay, but we weren't sure he'd make it.

Chipmunks only live 3-5 years and when he didn't come around when everything else was waking up this spring, we feared that Almond was with us no more. But then, a couple of weeks late...who do you think marched right in (with his tail fur grown back in all frizzy and gray over the stump) to chase the interloper chipmunks out? Almond is back! Needless to say, I think his story is needing to be told! He's started his own Facebook page in an effort to build a fan base (his agent told him it'd help him get his biography published)  https://www.facebook.com/almondthechipmunk        Here's a picture of him in his favorite spot from the other day.

Now...what to write for May. Hmmm.......

What's in store for 2012?

                                    I'm baaaa-aaaaack!
                             (And Jill B, you should be happy...I'm planning to post here at LEAST once a month.)


The fall of 2011 was one filled with fleece fuzz flying! I was creating puppets all fall, and kept busy right up until Christmas with puppet-related hoopla. I could not have been happier!

We welcomed some new pals to the Sunny Spot Puppet family this year. A few new colors of Gwaks joined the ever popular pinks and aquas, as well as two new green fellows who both answer to the name of Mel.(His/her head looks a little like a honeydew melon, no?) We also added some furry feline friends known as Mows. The charcoal Mow sold out almost immediately, so I guess it's safe to say that they were a hit!

The government's ending of the stay on the CPSIA law made it seem that I'd be out of business this month (along with millions of other small batch manufacturers and crafting artisans), but thankfully, they've created a registry which should (hopefully!) allow me to keep making and selling the puppets for at least another year. After breathing a HUGE sigh of relief, I've already begun sketching up some ideas for more puppets. ;0) The gang is all available at the etsy shop. 


But now that 2012 has begun,
I have pledged a new goal for this year-- writing, writing, writing, and writing....with a little writing thrown in there for flavor. I had kind of stalled out on the projects I had been working on, but just recently, an idea for a mid-grade novel crept into my brain. I've been happily chipping away at it ever since. I intend to see this through and try to flesh out an entire rough draft of this book.

I am also pledging to work on some new picture book ideas. I've just joined the 12x12in12 project, which aims to have us create 12 new picture books (rough drafts) in the 12 months of 2012. It sounds like a lot of work on top of the 8 million other things I have going on, but sometimes an assignment is exactly what I need to push me to create. Who knows if anything worth working on further will come from it, but you just never know! If you're curious or interested in checking out the project, click on the link below.

http://writeupmylife.com/2011/11/30/12-x-12-in-2012-picture-book-writing-challenge/comment-page-5/#comment-8024

                                                          Happy New Year! Here we go!

Gerbera Daisy Wall Art!

We recently undertook the transformation of my daughter's room with a complete makeover. Gone are the teddy bear posters and pale pink walls...replaced with a sunny yellow, new window treatments and some more mature decorating details. We looked at numerous posters and prints for the wall and in the process, an idea was born!

Here is the step by step directions to create your own funky wall art!

Materials needed:
4 artificial flowers...we chose gerbera daisies
4 square picture frames
illustration board
rubber cement
heavy duty glue, such as Household Goop
Tacky Glue

Take apart the frames and cut illustration board to fit. Using the rubber cement, glue the illustration board to the frame backing. (My frames came with white mats, so I put those back in.)

Put the frames back together, but DO NOT PUT THE GLASS BACK IN! You need the illustration board surface to be in the front for gluing the flower to. 

I put the glass back in BEHIND the backer board (so the glass faces the wall) to give the frame more strength, stability, and weight.

The fully prepped frames. (I did 8 -- a set for each of my girls' rooms.)

Next up -- flower murdering time! Snip off the stem as close to the back of the flower as you can. I found nail pullers actually worked best for the job. (Don't throw away those stems yet!) Be careful, as the flowers may start to come apart once the stem is removed. It's best to put a dab of Tacky Glue between each layer of petals to hold them all together. Much easier to do that while they're still together than tackling the puzzle of figuring out how to reassemble it later!

Working in a well ventilated area, apply a big blob of Goop to the center of each frame and set one flower in each. Use those discarded stems to help hold them straight if they seem tippy. 

Let them dry for 24 hours to be sure they're not going anywhere.

Next up, decorate! Hang them separately, in a vertical or horizontal line, or as we did here...in a grid formation! The final result is a colorful and fun decoration for her wall. It creates a neat optical illusion, too. From viewing straight on, they appear to be photographs of the daisies, but once you move to the side, you realize it's 3D art! 

Now go try and have fun!

Snow!

Snow is falling. Or actually, it's kind of flying. Sideways. White, fluffy, and beautiful!

After going Black Friday shopping, seeing A Christmas Carol on stage last night, and now this, I dare say I'm truly in the Christmas mood! The outdoor decorations are up at our house, and the bare tree by the mantel is ready for its finery too. Things are getting in the spirit on the website as well as you can see by Miep's door. :0)

Today is the first day of December, and the kick off to the time of Peace On Earth and Goodwill Toward Men. So, as of today, my family and I are doing a month of good deeds in honor of the season. Each day, we will each do a good deed and list it on a calendar at the end of the day.

For my first good deed, I have listed the "Diabetics Are Naturally Sweet" shirts from November's diabetes awareness fundraiser at a cafe press shop along with numerous other products bearing the design. A portion of proceeds from each sale will be given to juvenile diabetes research. Click here to go to the diabetes design shop. :0)

FEA Craft Sale and stocking Etsy for Santa

I spent this past Saturday at the 28th annual FEA Craft Sale in Fairport, NY and had a wonderful day all around! The puppets and critter bags were very well received, and it was a delight to watch young faces (and a few not so young) light up when meeting a Snarf or a Gwak or a Bink Fairy face to face. It reassures you that you've made something that makes people happy, and really, that is all that I ever set out to do. :0)

I also learned something new about the Critter Bags' appeal. Not only are they perfect for Webkinz, Barbies, Zhu Zhus or other small pretend creatures, but for some small actual creatures as well! Three bags that were purchased were going to be cozy beds for real critters -- one guinea pig, one rabbit, and one hedgehog!

Encouraged by the sale and in preparation for Santa's sleigh to fill, I've added the remaining Critter Bags to the etsy store along with the puppets.

Ho ho ho!!

Apricus website is updated and open for business!

The Apricus Designs website has gone through a face lift! Things have been nipped and tucked, plumped and lifted. The menu has changed a bit, as have several pages, and Miep's door still welcomes you but will now also change for the seasons and from time to time. At the moment, she has her doorstep decked out to celebrate fall.

The biggest news is that the gift shop is finally OPEN!! Just in time for holiday shopping season. :0) Links to the Sunny Spot Puppets, Critter Bags, and various T-Shirt designs are all there! (Designs are also available on other various other items...each link will take you to the shops where you can browse).

One t-shirt design is shown in the shop, but isn't actually for sale...just yet.

It's a shirt that I'm very proud to have been asked to make by my friend Cathy of Cathy's Creations (gorgeous and addictive beaded bracelets) for diabetes awareness. It reads "diabetics are naturally sweet".

Cathy is currently giving folks the chance to win the shirts when they donate to the American Diabetes Association. Once her give away has ended (at the end of the month), the shirts (in children's and adult sizes) will be for sale via my website. Proceeds will be donated to juvenile diabetes research.

Here's a link to Cathy's Creations' blog in case you'd like a chance to make a donation and take a chance at winning a shirt!

2010 Rochester Children's Book Festival

I was very happy to once again volunteer at the Rochester Children's Book Festival this year, this time assisting in the volunteer central department and learning how the festival runs. Thank goodness for the many, many enthusiastic people that give their time (some start working on it the day the last one ends) to make this event happen! What started as a small book signing and sale has grown to become a nationally recognized event with turnout in the thousands! This year's festival was a booming success, and we even got coverage and praise from Publisher's Weekly! Check out the article here.

We can thank author extraordinaire, Vivian Vande Velde, for once again documenting and sharing with us! Take a gander at her site to view the pictures. (I'm in there a couple of times. ;0) )

Thanks to all who participated in the drawing!

Frike will be taking a luxury cruise (or short ride in a padded mailer) to his new home this week.

In response to requests, a small number of the Sunny Spot Puppets have been put back up at Etsy today. http://www.etsy.com/shop/apricusdesigns The rest are getting psyched for a holiday sale coming up in a few weeks. Critter Bags will likely make an appearance at both locations as well. :0)

Thanks again! Anything we can do to raise breast cancer awareness helps! And be sure to take a gander at my pal Cathy's gorgeous bracelets, watches, and rings...all hand beaded and highly addictive. Take my word on that last part! She's a true angel...an artist with a huge heart. She has many cause bracelets and passes some of those proceeds on to funds and organizations. You can find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cathys-Creations/333061195652 (always a laugh or two to be found on that wall) or directly to her Etsy site at http://www.etsy.com/shop/cathycreations?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=App_Seller&utm_content=shops&utm_campaign=fb_seller_shop2

Who wants to win a puppet for breast cancer awareness?

My awesome pal over at Cathy's Creations has been doing lots of giveaways of her gorgeous bracelets, as well as plenty of items donated by her frikes (that means friends in Cathy speak) in honor of raising Breast Cancer Awareness. This is an issue close to my heart, so I've gladly jumped in with offering a pink Gwak puppet (now officially named Frike!) to be raffled off today! In order to be eligible to win him, post a reply under this message! Winner will be picked at random tonight. Good luck!

Channel your Muppets and say it with me....Produuuuuuuce Innnnnn Spaaaaace!

Okay, so not really, but this is my produce collection that I came up with for tshirts designs...and an alien friend snuck in there. It could happen, right?

The cast:

The Grumpy Eggplant

The Crazed Banana

The Distraught Pickle

The Coy Tomato

The Groovy Alien

All designs on various items at http://www.cafepress.com/ApricusProduce

Artmash at Fairport Canal Days 2010

This past June I had a booth at Canal Days with my gals Lori and Sheila from the FLiEs, and Lori's mom Carol. Fairport Canal Days is a huge annual arts festival (averages close to 200,000 attendees most years) and we decided to give it a go! Unfortunately, we chose the year that was hit with a monsoon, and we learned the joys of holding a tent down as it threatened to fly away, taking us with it. It was a great learning experience, though, and lots of fun (despite soggy clothes and frozen toes).
Sheila had her Marco Flamingo books and art prints, Carol had prints and paintings, Lori had prints, art "garbage" plaques, and dog bowls (custom painted on site), and I had the Critter Bags and my newest creations...Sunny Spot Puppets.



The puppets can be seen at the Apricus Designs site. The Etsy store page is temporarily down for inventory and renovations.

Fall Flies Mailer

Summer Flies Mailer

Spring Flies Mailer

Wake up!!

Sorry, dozed off there for a bit.

Bear with me as I try to get caught up a little at what's been going on this year. :0)

IF: Clumsy

Just a quick and rough sketch, but a chance to do some more character study of this little mouse. Poor, clumsy mouse. I have no idea what it's like to be clumsy (insert eye roll here).

IF: Entangled

Poor mouse is in the dark until he can get the lights ready.

IF: Music

This chipper little mouse marches to her own tune.