collectors

I’m curious about people who collect things. While I was at an SCBWI writing conference this summer, author/illustrator Judy Schachner described her creative process as an act of collecting. She creates characters by collecting and collaging images. I love this idea! So much, I began to search the Internet for things that people collect. Here’s a few of my favorites:

alarm clocks

baseball cards

bumper stickers

coins

Cracker Jack prizes

dried flowers

garden gnomes

guitars

insects

lunch boxes

marbles

mason jars

rocks

sea shells

stickers

t-shirts

vinyl records

Another thing I’d like to add to this list is... words. That’s what I collect.

In third grade, I started my first journal. Since then, I’ve accumulated dozens of journals, filled with thousands and thousands of words. Interestingly enough, I rarely reread what I’ve written. I don’t keep the journals to look over my past. Instead, I keep them because they mark time. I look at the big stack and see the years I’ve lived and the things I have inside me.

How about you? Are you a collector? What do you collect?

ambition

Here’s what I thought about today:

Ambition is pushing through things that sometimes make you uncomfortable. Whereas, contentment is doing the things you’re good at, over and over.

Along this line of thinking, Ramona Quimby just might be the most ambitious character I’ve ever met. I love her curiosity, determination, and willingness to try something new.

Photo source: www.keepingupwithmrssmith.com

rhode island

Here's a few pictures from my recent trip to Rhode Island,
the place where I grew up. 

It has been a treat to introduce my son to
some of the things I enjoyed as a kid.

Plus, I just love being surrounded by nature.

Such a great place for gathering story ideas!

good morning

Henry hobbled around the kitchen this morning and instead of looking like a toddler, he reminded me of an old war veteran with stiff knees. That’s when I realized he had a small piece of raison bread stuck to the bottom of his foot.

“Henry,” I said.  “Is there bread on your foot?”

“Bread, foot,” he said.

“Let’s put the bread in the trash,” I told him.

Ignoring my suggestion, he stared at me. Then he peeled the piece of bread from the bottom of his barefoot and shoved the food into his mouth.

“Or you can put it in your mouth,” I replied.

That’s when he took the disgusting glob of bread out of his mouth, placed it on the ground, and for the second time of the morning, stepped on it.

“Ah,” I said. “So that’s how you got it to stick.”

He smiled and went back to his hobbling.

dinovember

This idea is so awesome.
To view more dino-scenes, click here.

the goldfinch

This just might be the best book cover ever.

characters who misbehave

film characters who are great at misbehaving
ferris bueller
dewey finn (school of rock)
junior (problem child)
ricky vaughn (major league)
annie walker (bridesmaids)
john beckwith and jeremy grey (wedding crashers)
axel foley (beverly hills cop)
billy ray valentine (trading places)

tess mcgill (working girl)

phil, stu, and alan (the hangover)
kevin (home alone)

literary characters who are great at misbehaving
ramona quimby
clementine
fudge (tales from a fourth grade nothing)
calvin (calvin and hobbes)
battle bunny
the grinch
antonia mcpherson (notes from a liar and her dog)
mac (the fourth stall)
george (george's marvellous medicine)
clarence (poem by Shel Silverstein)
harry the dirty dog
bad marie
caleb and camille fang (the family fang)
uncle oswald (my uncle oswald)

Anyone you'd like to add?

a quote for the new year

"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world.  You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever."

-Neil Gaiman

i love...

Photo via Cup of Jo.

poet stamps

Look at how neat these stamps are.  

What a wonderful reason to write a letter!

the tragedy of first position

This video made me laugh.  And, it reminded me of going to ballet class when I was a little girl.  Me and ballet never really went together.  

Here's a picture of what I looked like in my leotard.  Check out those grass-stained knees!  I was as far away from graceful as a person could get.

roar

I really want to get one of these for Calvin.

Image via Pintrest.

london

I'm just returning from a quick trip to London. During the visit, I went to the Tate Modern Art Museum.  After perusing the works of Dali, Pollock, Miro, Giacometti, and Picaso, I headed to the museum gift shop.  I purchased quite a few postcards (see example below) and a great little book called "Nicholas and the Gang"by Goscinny and Sempe.  I just love museum gift shops.  You?

This postcard is from The Quilts of Gee's Bend collection.  It's titled "Housetop" by Rita Mae Pettway.

i love books

It's the most satisfying feeling to make your way through a hefty book as your hands creep closer to the back cover.

Photo via Pinterest.

little lion

This picture made me laugh out loud.  I have a feeling my cat has a similar experience with mirrors.  Click here to see Calvin in a previous post called "picture time".

Photo via Pinterest.

rocks

I love finding rocks,

especially rocks that are shaped like a heart.

my new favorite notecards

Aren't these the sweetest little notecards? Audrey Hepburn rides her bike with Mr. Famous!  The cards are made by artist Julia Denos (illustrator of the delightful book, Just Being Audrey.) Here's a link to her blog. And if you're like me and you want to purchase her wonderful notecards, go here.  

audrey hepburn

This is one of my very favorite pictures of Audrey Hepburn.  She reminds me that simple is good and less is more.

(Photo via We Heart It.)

yuri shimojo

Artist and author, Yuri Shimojo, explains how her unconventional upbringing has influenced her many forms of expression throughout the years leading up to her current watercolor paintings.


My sister recently sent me this link and I found it very inspiring.  I love the way Yuri Shimoji talks about her process.  And her art supplies are absolutely beautiful.


Click Here to learn more about Yuri Shimojo.  

what they call their dogs

Garrison Keillor gives advice to writers.  

I adore what he has to say.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADQO0aO_uSc&feature=related