april 1st announcement

The cover of my new book!

p.s. happy april 1st...

a tiny turkey protest

I'm afraid not many will heed the protest of my tiny turkey; after all, few people prefer turnips over turkey.  Still, this opinionated little turkey is ever hopeful on behalf of his non-wooden brethren.

If you would like to create a flock of tiny turkeys to march across your table at Thanksgiving, please have a look at the tutorial I posted yesterday.  And come back tomorrow if you're interested in a tutorial for peg doll Pilgrims & Native Americans...

oops

Inspired by the fun photos on Salley Mavor's blog documenting her progress on the updated edition of her gorgeous book Felt Wee Folk, I would like to share with you this lovely photo I took a short time ago.

Okay.  So it's not really a lovely photo, nor does it document any progress I made on my new book.  Actually, what this photo demonstrates is that I have a talent for mutilating peg dolls. All in the name of art, right?  Right.

The other thing worth noting here is my beautiful set of bright yellow vice jaw pads. These vice jaw pads are great, and you will think so, if you would like to drill holes in peg dolls, too!  Seriously.  Before I had these vice pads, my dolls suffered dents and damage every time they took a trip to the work bench. It's still potentially perilous for the dolls whenever there's a power drill in my hand, but at least they are not dented (just impaled.)

I hope all the peg dolls at your house are safe and sound.  The peg dolls at my house are... well... I'm not sure where they are right now.  They are hiding from me.

Making Peg Dolls: part deux

Although I haven't made any formal announcements, it hasn't been much of a secret that I am working on a second book.  Yes, the second book will have peg dolls, but it will be quite different from the first book... and ummm... I'm afraid I cannot say much more than that right now (sorry.)  The book is due to be released Autumn 2014 by Hawthorn Press, and as the publication date approaches more will be revealed, I promise!

Meanwhile, you may notice that things are more quiet than usual around here. Don't worry -- I'm still here (just hard at work), but please feel free to drop me an email anytime you want to say 'hello.'  And, in the interim, I offer you some possible titles for the new book...

How about Valley of the (Peg) Dolls?  Night of the Living Peg Dolls? Peg Dolls vs. Godzilla?  Or the ever popular Return of the Peg Dolls!

Which title is your favorite?  Do you have any other suggestions?

Happy Poisson d'Avril (a repost from last year)

This is a re-post of something I posted on my blog last year for April Fools Day.  I had so much fun creating the dolls for this post; however, I'm very sad to tell you that no one (not one person) has taken me up on the challenge I issued at the very end of the post. Go ahead -- take my challenge -- I dare you!!

I'm not sure where I first heard of Poisson D'Avril... the origins of this odd observance are rather obscure.  One theory I came across credits Pope Gregory for creating confusion when he set up his eponymous "Gregorian Calender" in 1562.  When Pope Gregory instituted the calender, the start of the new year was moved from April 1st to January 1st, and those who persisted in celebrating the start of the year on April 1st were called "April Fools."  What this has to do with fish (and French fish, for that matter) I have no idea, but Google and Wikipedia seemed to think that, somehow, the two are linked.

The one place I was able to track down a story linking fish and April Fool's Day was within the book All Year Round by Ann Druitt, Christine Fynes-Clinton and Marije Rowling. According to the authors of All Year Round, the celebration of April Fools Day commemorates the birthday, on April 1, 1752, of Olaf Toyou, the first born son of Hungarian fisher folk.  The story goes as follows:

When Olaf was 6 months old, a strong earthquake struck far out in the Mediterranean. Olaf was sleeping in a cradle slung from the branch of a tree while his mother worked nearby.  The earthquake caused the sea to race up the beach so quickly and quietly that she didn’t notice the waves had carried Olaf away until it was too late.  She ran to save her son, but all she found in the cradle was a small fish.  Olaf's mother ran to find her husband, crying that their baby was gone, and while her back was turned, a second tidal wave miraculously removed the fish and returned the baby to the cradle. When the husband looked inside the cradle and found his son, he berated his wife as a fool.  She, however, remained convinced that her son had the power to turn himself into a fish at will!

To this day, people in France must beware of turning their backs on April 1st.  They may later discover a paper fish pinned to their jacket and realize with embarrassment that they have become the ‘Poisson d’Avril’(‘April Fish.’)

 

 Hungarian fisher-folk? French fish?  Again, I'm a little confused.  And what, pray tell, does all this have to do with peg dolls?  Well, in 2011 , I hosted a peg doll swap and my friend Caroline signed up to participate. She couldn't decide what type of doll to create for the swap but told me that, because of her love of cooking, she felt her inspiration would surely come from a recipe.  I glanced over at her four shelves full of cookbooks and came up with some helpful (okay, appalling, if truth be told) suggestions for her peg dolls: Poached flounder with butter & herbs? Chicken vindaloo? Shrimp ceviche? A cheese & mushroom omelet? Needless to say, she did not take any of my suggestions.  I, however, decided to rise to the challenge.  I submit to you a Flounder Peg Doll... my very own Poisson D'Avril.

Have you ever come up with a creative idea, so peculiar that you simply had to see it through?  This sort of endeavor reminds me of the beer milkshake, dreamed up and desperately craved by the character Doc in John Steinbeck's book Cannery Row.  Perhaps, even at this moment, you are feeling inspired by my Peg Doll Flounder.  Is it time for you to try to out-do me and create the most dreadful peg doll ever? Something even uglier than my flounder?   Now that will be quite the task...  I dare you!

A Reprieve for the Gnomes of Oakland

photo by Emily Cotler: Fairy Room

Across the bay from me, there is a city called Oakland.  About a year ago, gnomes began to take up residence.  They appeared in an assortment of places, but their primary haunts were located at the base of utility poles owned by Pacific Gas & Electric (otherwise known as PG&E.)  PG&E had called for the gnomes to be removed, saying, "We can't have anything that would compromise the integrity of our equipment."  However, due to public outcry, the gnomes have been granted clemency and will be allowed to remain.

photo by Emily Cotler: Fairy Room

It is said that the gnome population of Oakland has now climbed to 2,300 gnomes.  Their emissary and ambassador has remained anonymous (i.e. no one knows who has assisted these gnome-folk finding homes in Oakland.)

photo by Emily Cotler: Fairy Room

To learn more about the gnomes of Oakland you can read this article and this article in the San Francisco Chronicle.  You can also visit Fairy Room (where they claim no responsibility for this magical infestation.)

Swimming Pool

Swimming pool from Alexandra Hetmerova on Vimeo.

A sweet little something for your enjoyment
(and it's appropriate for children, in case you were wondering!)

File this under Weird and Wonderful

Last February I posted about my balloon-loving toddler.  I am here to report that his balloon obsession continues in full swing.  There are times in our lives when distraction is required (during diaper changes, car rides, etc...), and in these moments, when there is no balloon on hand, we will offer to sing a song about a balloon.  If we are not in the mood to make up a song ourselves, the only balloon-related song Mr. Bloom and I know is Up, Up and Away, first made famous by The 5th Dimension in 1967 and later recorded by other artists such as Nancy Sinatra, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick and Sammy Davis, Jr. The problem with this song is, up until last week, we only knew the first line, so we would sing that one line over, and over, and over, and over (you get the idea...)

So last week, I finally went online and found some clips of the song Up, Up and Away on You Tube. These video-clips should definitely be filed under "weird and wonderful" and I especially like the costumes. I recommend having a look at some other 5th Dimension videos, too -- all their costumes are amazing!

 Did I mention weird and wonderful?  That would definitely apply to this version of Up, Up and Away sung by Nancy Sinatra...  And just in case you were inclined to sing along, here are the lyrics:

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?
We could float among the stars together, you and I,
For we can fly we can fly...
Up, up and away
In my beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky,
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
In my beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Suspended under a twilight canopy,
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us.
If by some chance you find yourself loving me,
We'll find a cloud to hide us,
We'll keep the moon beside us
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Balloon...
Up, up, and away.....

If you'll excuse me now, I've got to track down my white miniskirt and Go-Go boots so I can dance along, too!

Poisson D'Avril (and a most peculiar peg doll)

I'm not sure where I first heard of Poisson D'Avril... the origins of this odd observance are rather obscure.  One theory I came across credits Pope Gregory for creating confusion when he set up his eponymous "Gregorian Calender" in 1562.  When Pope Gregory instituted the calender, the start of the new year was moved from April 1st to January 1st, and those who persisted in celebrating the start of the year on April 1st were called "April Fools."  What this has to do with fish (and French fish, for that matter) I have no idea, but Google and Wikipedia seemed to think that, somehow, the two are linked.

The one place I was able to track down a story linking fish and April Fool's Day was within the book All Year Round by Ann Druitt, Christine Fynes-Clinton and Marije Rowling. According to the authors of All Year Round, the celebration of April Fools Day commemorates the birthday, on April 1, 1752, of Olaf Toyou, the first born son of Hungarian fisher folk.  The story goes as follows:

When Olaf was 6 months old, a strong earthquake struck far out in the Mediterranean. Olaf was sleeping in a cradle slung from the branch of a tree while his mother worked nearby.  The earthquake caused the sea to race up the beach so quickly and quietly that she didn’t notice the waves had carried Olaf away until it was too late.  She ran to save her son, but all she found in the cradle was a small fish.  Olaf's mother ran to find her husband, crying that their baby was gone, and while her back was turned, a second tidal wave miraculously removed the fish and returned the baby to the cradle. When the husband looked inside the cradle and found his son, he berated his wife as a fool.  She, however, remained convinced that her son had the power to turn himself into a fish at will!

To this day, people in France must beware of turning their backs on April 1st.  They may later discover a paper fish pinned to their jacket and realize with embarrassment that they have become the ‘Poisson d’Avril’(‘April Fish.’)

Hungarian fisher-folk? French fish?  Again, I'm a little confused.  And what, pray tell, does all this have to do with peg dolls?  Well, last year, I hosted a peg doll swap and my friend Caroline signed up to participate. She couldn't decide what type of doll to create for the swap but told me that, because of her love of cooking, she felt her inspiration would surely come from a recipe.  I glanced over at her  four shelves full of cookbooks and came up with some helpful (okay, appalling, if truth be told) suggestions for her peg dolls: Poached flounder with butter & herbs? Chicken vindaloo? Shrimp ceviche? A cheese & mushroom omelet? Needless to say, she did not take any of my suggestions.  I, however, have decided to rise to the challenge.  I submit to you a Flounder Peg Doll... my very own Poisson D'Avril.

Have you ever come up with a creative idea, so peculiar that you simply had to see it through?  This sort of endeavor reminds me of the beer milkshake, dreamed up and desperately craved by the character Doc in John Steinbeck's book Cannery Row.  Perhaps, even at this moment, you are feeling inspired by my Peg Doll Flounder.  Is it time for you to try to out-do me and create the most dreadful peg doll ever? Something even uglier than my flounder?   Now that will be quite the task...  I dare you!

Nose-Bead Removal Tutorial

Hello dearest one & all! I've missed visiting with you this past week...  My hectic summer has finally caught up with me and so, between daily swim lessons for Little Mr. B. and various summer-time adventures (all of which has wreaked havoc on Wee Blooms nap schedule) I cannot think straight, let alone sit down at the computer to tend this happy little blog space.

Wee Bloom is sleeping at the moment, but I'm not sure for how much longer, and so I'll leave you with this -- one of the best tutorials I've seen in a long time.  It was written by Danielle of the blog Most Days I Win.  I fear it puts all of my fancy craft tutorials to shame.  This post (and really, all of Danielle's posts) are funny, sweet and wise.  I hope you enjoy reading this tutorial as much as I did, and I also hope you never have cause to refer to it again for the purpose it was intended!

Views Through the Cat Door

The Magenta Crayon

Note to Little Mr. B.:

The next time you put a magenta (or any other color, for that matter) crayon in your pocket, please remove the afore mentioned crayon from said pocket before placing your garment in the laundry.

You are hereby informed that, until further notice, all your favorite school clothes & pajamas (plus some of your brothers clothes and fathers clothes) will now be streaked with magenta.

Kewpie Doll

The other night I said to Little Mr. B., "Our baby is like a Kewpie Doll, except he's noisy and he smells funky." Little Mr. (who has never heard of Kewpie Dolls) looked at me with a puzzled expression and queried, "Puke-y doll?" which was very apt given how much this baby spits up...

Bad Family Photos

We were a family of three for a long time, so it felt like a rite of passage to take our annual holiday photo as a family of four. Taking our family photo this year was a big event and we had a lot of fun... but most entertaining has been looking over the photos and inserting "thought-bubbles" above Baby Bloom's head. Take, for example the photo below:

"They look like a nice family, but I'm not sure I belong here... Maybe if I stop drooling they'll let me really be in the photo. Meanwhile, I wish that kid in the red shirt would stop using me as a sofa cushion." Yes, this really is an unfortunate photo. And, no, this particular photo will *not* be featured on our holiday card.

After taking some "proper" photos, we got silly and started rolling around on the floor...

Hey, little baby, please let go of those (fragile & expensive) wire frame glasses...


Ouch...

"Hey, where are you going? Come back!"

"How did I get stuck up here, suspended at the top of this photo? Could someone please get me down?"

The Anti-Soccer Mom

Whenever anyone asks if I'm signing my son up for AYSO I grimmace. I am the anti-soccer mom. I prefer ballet & my husband mountain bikes (ballet is sport, right?) But Little Mr. B. is jealous of his friends who play soccer and has been asking for a year about joining a team. Last week we finally bowed to the pressure and signed him up for AYSO in the autumn.

So, when I saw this comic in the Sunday paper I started laughing so hard I nearly spit my coffee across the table.

Now, Where did I File that Tapeworm?

It all started a year ago when we replaced the "extra storage cabinet" in our kitchen with this new & more attractive one. The moment we set it in the kitchen I realized those glass doors were not going to hide the clutter of kitchen miscellanea I was busily transferring from the old cabinet to the new... My solution was to house the clutter in a series of tidy storage boxes.

The boxes had little metal frames to display labels hinting at the contents of the boxes. So, I dutifully got to work creating some helpful labels.



Above you can see the result of my endeavors at label making (I take these things very seriously.)

Then I got to work on some older storage boxes tucked into our book shelves...



Now I know where to find those emus!