Saturday, April 30, 2011

It's Finished

Well, the art work is finished for the children's book. I am pleased with the work but I know there is going to be some tweaking when the pictures go to the publisher. (I wish I could show you a picture)
Needle felting can be a bit tedious but I finally did get to enjoy the work. Time to clean up the work space and put away all the roving until another project comes along. I am excitedly planning the next project and I'm supposed to have some pieces ready for sale at a conference or two this summer but...
We'll see what the Creator has in store.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Books

It was hard choosing the books for my little wheel. I have so many that I read and re-read. My favourite authors to date are Miriam Grace Monfredo, Jan Karon, Elliott Roosevelt, Monica Ferris, Earlene Fowler, and on and on. Miriam Grace Monfredo - I've had to buy used because the last books that I've found written by her are in the 1990's. Her books are wonderful mysteries - well researched - about the late 1800's in and around NY State. Elliott Roosevelt, again mysteries, are set in and around the White House with Eleanor Roosevelt as the smart cookie who solves the mysteries. Monica Ferris and Earlene Fowler are authors with needlework and quilting as the common denominator in the mysteries. The mysteries I've been reading are called "cozy mysteries" I've been told by a mystery writer who doesn't write like that and probably doesn't like to read them either.
Jan Karon books are about a little village and the people in it with the central character a Father Tim. It is known to many as the Mitford series. I read these books for the peace that I feel when reading them.
Of course I don't just read mysteries, although they are my favourites. I read what interests me - like helping people. If I was still in counselling I'd be recommending many books and maybe I'll make up a list again someday. At the top of my book list back when I was working in that field was the Louise Hay book called "Heal Your Body". It was wonderful for working with clients.
I also read books that I was introduced to in University - like the books by Vine Deloria Jr. Very simply and well written. There are many other Native Authors that I read and there is a website to find them on.
I don't like to read academic books. I write like I speak. My books that I've written don't have a lot of superfluous words in them.I also read books about art doll making, art, painting and nature like "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. Beatrix Potter, E. Pauline Johnson and many other poets, are on my book shelves. Children's books and books on faeiries, gnomes and elves are the most collected. I have found and finally admitted that I collect children's books mainly for the illustrations. I cannot say right now who my favourite illustrator is because there are so many. I am going back to reading now, and maybe go and hunt out some new books in the second hand shops around. Have a great one...

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Needle felting Illustrations

I'm almost finished the book illustrations. Oh, yes I'd forgotten to tell you about that. I've been asked to make the pictures for a childrens' story book and I'm almost finished. I've got three more to do out of eighteen. I have to speak with the author about the last few pages because with needle felting I've found that I cannot do a lot of detail work like I do with my art dolls. I've enjoyed struggling with this. That may sound weird to you but it is exciting to have a new challenge and then to work out the ideas and make the creations from those ideas. It gets a bit tiresome though when I wake up at three or four in the morning and can't go back to sleep for "figuring out".
Of course that is the way it has been in trying to put this blog together too. Like I said before, I'm technically challenged. I even had to have my daughter help me with the cell phone when I first got it. So I'm off now to do another page of needle felting and then try to figure out how to write on the other page.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

New again

Hello, I'm back and this is now a new blog - again. I've done this about five times now so we'll see how this goes. There will be two or three pages to my blog as I'm an author and a self-taught artist. I've got two or three projects on the go, and tying myself up trying to blog.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

New Chapbook


Good morning all. Just wanting you to know that I am still writing and still making art. I did have an okay holiday - since that is the last time I posted - and looking forward to spring and summer because I like warm weather not cold.


My new chapbook of poetry arrived on Monday. I'm so excited. It is my first chapbook, not my first book, but it is still very exciting.


I'm posting a picture of the cover as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

Have a great one. helen

Picture


Okay, now I'm going to try and add a picture of my book cover. The title of the book is Shaking the Rattle  Healing the Trauma of Colonization and was originally published by Theytus Books Ltd. Penticton, BC in 1996. It went out of print by them and was then sent to POD. Since then it is distributed by goodminds.com out of Brantford, Ontario Canada. I painted the picture while I was at the En'owkin Centre in British Columbia. I was in school there for Creative Writing and Fine Arts. It is portrait that we were instructed to paint. I had no idea what I was doing (kind of like all the art that I do) but I liked it and so did others. I originally went to school for writing so that they would publish this book. I managed to make all the changes and edits and learned to write poetry. A wonderful book that is still used in colleges and universities - when they can find it. Amazon has one or two for sale at exorbitant used prices thinking that it is out of print - it is not.