fortune cookie friday

"A little body often harbors a great soul."
-Chinese Proverb

a warm welcome

 These days I mostly face a wall of this:

So it's a nice change to face this kind of wall instead:

Yes, I'm still fitting in the school visits! Recently, they are, perhaps, the sanest of my days. And when they are as welcoming as the Naubac School (which I visited a few weeks ago) they are happy as well! 

I loved all the letters the students wrote me, from 1st grade to 4th:

And I also got a big kick out of this student's ringing endorsement:

And I was heartened to see so many considered Starry River of the Sky their new favorite book:

This was all a much-welcomed sight to my eyes! 

Thanks so much, Naubac School!

on my desk monday

Can you believe it? It's the proof for the 2nd Ling and Ting book, officially titled "Ling & Ting Share a Birthday!" I was so late with the art I didn't think it was going to make the Fall list, but it just squeaked in! In fact, you can already pre-order it on Amazon!

on my desk monday

it's kind of breaking my heart to leave these bookshelves!

There is no desk! Since returning from the Kaigler Children's Festival (which I will definitely post about, as well as a bunch of other events) we've been scurrying around emptying, cleaning, fixing, and staging the apartment which is now officially on the market. We're exhausted. But I have to say the apartment looks pretty good. I wish it looked that good when we were actually living in it. Amazing what the excavation of  baby toys, art supplies, and too many books can do for a place. Unfortunately, the aesthetics of the apartment is in direct contrast to that of our house--as the apartment has gotten clean and shiny, the house is a cluttered mess.  sigh.

fortune cookie friday

"Four things come not back: the spoken word, the spent arrow, the past life, and the neglected opportunity."
-Chinese Proverb

on my desk monday

Name tags for the whole family, courtesy of the wonderful coordinators of the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Festival which I spoke at on last Friday. More on that later...the blog has much to catch up on but more immediate matters must be attended to first (unpacking, apartment staging and getting my taxes out!).

fortune cookie friday

"Smile if you want a smile from another face."
-— Dalai Lama

on my desk monday

My desk is in there somewhere:

The unpacking has begun but is is going at a snail's pace. To be honest, it's a bit demoralizing. With the unpacking at the new place, fixing the old place to get it in viewing condition, taxes, baby and school visits--I've had to forego a lot of the things that help keep me balanced. Writing! Drawing! Exercise! Sleep! sigh. But I keep telling myself it is only temporary...at least I hope so. Cross your fingers for me.

fortune cookie friday

"A fool's heart is found in his mouth.
"
-Chinese Proverb

on the way to the grocery store

...you might run into the Tin Man!