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