Christmas Past - The Grinch and Other things

Among other things that need to be taken down are my favorite things from this year's holiday.  There's the Grinch pictures I made using a section of a "Grinch" book panel.  I padded the material with a very thin batting,  added a topsy turvy border of red, and added a Grinch Green rickrack -- framed and wrapped with a ribbon bow (found this ribbon at Sam's Club).  I made my friend Cheryl one -- with the wood frame, mine was the gold frame, and I made a granddaughter one with a white frame (not pictured). Each is a little different because of the section of fabric  that was used.  I've got a few more sections of the panel so I think I will make some more.

The Grinch pictures are framed cloth - with a red border, Grinch green rickrack, and Green and Red Ribbon. Finished picture fits into an 8x10 frame.

My new Grinch ornament was this year's only addition to the literary tree. Many of the ornaments are miniature books signed by the authors.

Several years ago we made some miniature trees from painted pine cones. A little touch of Christmas in each of two bathrooms in the house.

Christmas 2011 -- the end of a season.

Simms Taback RIP (1932-2011)

The Legacy of Simms Taback

Simms Taback was an illustrator that became "an overnight success" after working decades in children's books.  The fact that intrigues young readers is that, in 1979 McDonald's rolled out their first happy meals and Simms was the illustrator who created the box.

Visit the artist's official website  at http://www.simmstaback.com.

Simms Taback's most well known book is probably his Caldecot Award winning Joseph Had a Coat This book introduced him to EVERYONE in the world of children's books.

His last book before his death on Christmas Day, 2011 is Postcards from Camp. Simms and his wife Gail moved from New England to Ventura, California and 2006 and it is there that he died of cancer.  Simms Taback is survived by his wife Gail, three children (a daughter, a son, and a step-daughter), and five grandchildren - and hundreds (if not thousands) of readers who learned to love reading from his books. “You do picture books to get kids interested in books; they go on from there. You can learn about the whole world if you’re interested in reading.” -- Simms Taback, 2009 Ventura (CA) County Star.

A masterful use of two classic titles - a masterful teacher

If you haven't yet read this article you MUST  -- teacher, parent, grandparent, -- anyone who even talks to a child (or another person for that matter).  This article is so enlightening.  She did a master job of being proactive in terms of preventing bullying and dealing with the challenges some face when struggling with the roles others perceive for them.

One teacher being proactive when it comes to bullying. 
http://togetherforjacksoncountykids.tumblr.com/post/14314184651/one-teachers-approach-to-preventing-gender-bullying-in

As part of her inspired lessons she uses Tomie dePaola's Oliver Button Is a Sissy and Charlotte Zolotow's William's Doll.

If the students are somewhat older I would also suggest the Trading Places with Tank Talbott by Dori Hillestad Butler and also Butler's The Truth About Truman School, as well as, Carol Gorman's Games: A Tale of Two Bullies.  Learn more about these books by visiting the authors' websites at www.kidswriter.com (or www.dorihbutler.com) and www.carolgorman.com.  Both authors have developed successful sessions focusing on their books and the topic of bullying.  Some interesting comments come about from these sessions.  Makes some of us realize that this teacher's lessons on gender identity are so very important.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

What's Inside?

A Custom Made Holiday
Center Piece for my
new console table.

JPH's Butter Crunch - A Holiday Favorite

My sister makes the best butter crunch.  It is soooooo good.

JPH's Butter Crunch

www.rockyflatsgardens.com

1 1/4 Cup Butter
1 2/3 Cup Sugar
4 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 Cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 Cup chopped nuts
1/2 pound melted chocolate
Combine all ingredients except nuts & chocolate in sauce pan & cook to 300 degrees.  Stir in nuts and pour onto cookie sheet.  When cool, pour melted chocolate on top.  Place in refrigerator until hard.  remove & break into pieces.

Joyce's hint: Using a candy thermometer makes the butter crunch come out perfect every time.

Keith Shepherd - Meet the Illustrator

Illustrator of Walking Home To Rosie Lee by A(lexandria) LaFaye. Cinco Puntos Press, 2011.

Keith D. Shepherd grew up, in Saint Louis, Missouri, as part of a family of 10 children.  He began drawing at an early age and eventually attended Washington University and earned a BFA .  During a 2008 interview with Riehl Life, in conjunction with an exhibit in Kansas City, Shepherd says, "I first began by tracing. There was this 1960's kids show called 'WINKY DINK & YOU'." The Magic Screen episodes on the Winky Dink show encouraged him and he eventually found "How to Draw ... " books and his artist talents began to develop.  After his study at Washington University he spent 24 years as an artist at Hallmark cards, but always created wonderful pieces of art for the enjoyment of others.  His fine art is displayed at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City and has made their way to many other venues, including private collections.  In 2011, his art was featured in his first picture book, Walking Home to Rosie Lee, a picture book authored by A. LaFaye (Cinco Puntos Press, 2011).    

Interview -- (September 19, 2011) is posted at www.mcbookwords.com/books/walkinghome.html

An interview with the author  Alexandria LaFaye is also on this page featuring the creators of Walking Home to Rosie Lee.