FROM MY HEART

SNOWCAT TZ

Tizzycat, 4 or 5 months old watching his first snow
fall. So excited he chirped like a bird.

My iPad sketch of the memory of that moment. All babies
love snow.

TRULY THANKFUL

My illustration of the Mayflower from THE STORY OF THE PILGRIMS, by Katharine Ross, Random House

This Thanksgiving, more than ever, I am deeply thankful for my incredible loving, caring, generous
and entertaining family. Our Mom's best gift to all of us. 

A PIANO TALE

Because our Mom was the apple of her Daddy's eye,

Mom on her Daddy's shoulder, Atlantic City, NJ around 1926.

He wanted her to have the best of everything.
Mom loved music.

So when she was eight years old, her Dad bought her a

piano. 

And it was GRAND! Actually, a small grand piano,

made by one of the best piano makers in the world.

Krakauer. 

Mom, age about 5 or 6, a few years behore she got her pian

Mom learned to play her beautiful piano.

She had it all her life. 

When she married.

Mom about 20, just before marriage.

Had the 4 of us.

.

We all played UNDER the piano.

We plunked keys.

Some of us took lessons...but only sister Susan

was good at it.

We moved 8 times growing up and Mom's piano

always went with us. It was restored, keys replaced

and refinished. Originally black, then rich auburn.

After each move, Mom had it tuned.

Sadly, Mom left us at the end of May.

Couldn't take anything with her, not even her
precious piano.

We are looking for a new home for her piano.

THINKING, BEADS

My idea of a good time....

Cutting a swath through a bead show with cousin Janet

Cheering and stirs imagination.

Some of this year's haul..........

African beads made from old vinyl records.

African beads from wound recycled paper.

 

Czech Glass beads

Enameled copper beads 

Just Now

That's Tizzy Cat on the window ledge behind me.
You've just missed him jumping from my left shoulder
to his perch.
He knows this annoys me greatly especially when 
he digs his back claws through to my skin to steady 
his push off.
OUCH!!
Sometimes he needs to remind me who is the alpha cat, REALLY.

=^..^=

NINA IGNATOWICZ

Nina Ignatowicz at her desk.On the shelf behind her my Babas thanking her
for all she did for them and me as Editor, Mentor and Friend. 
Photo with permission/Joan Sandin. 

Just out of art school in 1967.
Off to NYC portfolio in hand.
First stop Harper & Row Publishers.
The top of the heap. 
Publisher of Sendak and Arnold Lobel.
49 East 33rd St, NY, NY 10016.
First meeting, with Nina Ignatowicz,
Children's Book Editor.
Russian accent.
Attractive, sturdy, blond hair, bemused smile, direct manner.
Positive, encouraging.
Asked for samples of several portfolio pieces.
Would like to see more.
A statement I took seriously and she may have
begun to regret as I continued to return for 12 years
with new work, eventually some published by other publishers.

Then I sent her my BABA EDIS'S SOUP and she
offered me my first contract as an Author as well as Illustrator.
Retitled by Charlotte Zolotow - TOO MANY BABAS.
The first of a memorable 1/2 dozen or so books with Harper.
Wonderful writers, Eleanor Coerr, Nancy Smiler Levinson,
Lee Bennett Hopkins. So many stories behind the stories.
Fondest memories.

Profoundly sad to learn Nina Ignatowicz passed away January 19, 2013.
Shall always remember her with deep appreciation and great affection.

Go 4th!!

My illustration for a story by pop singer, Peggy King

MOM

Late Friday afternoon my Siblings and I lost our dearest

Mom after months of declining health.
Beautiful, inside and out.
Loving, compassionate, courageous, cultured, brilliant.
Possessing massive common sense and the most wonderful sense of humor. 

All of which served her well raising the 4 of us and thoroughly enjoying her grandchildren. All while coping with losing her sight to Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Already sorely missed.
But as a friend wrote earlier this month about losing her own Mom,
The mothering goes on.

MOM, HER MOM, HER MOM and ME

          H A P P Y   M O T H E R S   D A Y 
                
                 ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥       ♥      ♥

Mom, me, Great Grandmom and Grandmom, ©carolyncroll 2013

                 ♥     ♥     ♥     ♥       ♥      ♥

SPRING 2013

My watercolor sketch of Tulips

First day of Spring 2013.

First brave Robins in the cold park.

Fat Squirrel scrambles up the trunk.

Mouth crammed with leaves for
nesting.
Randy Pigeon tail down, chest puffed, pursuing his mate.

New beginings

Any day now.

Need the warmth and cheering colors, more than ever.

FYI

My illustration from my Maria Sibylla Merian project 2013

Want to thank steadfast followers. 
Haven't lost interest in keeping this blog. 
But continue to be occupied with the care
of our Mom, critically ill for the last 6 mos.
A profound experience for all involved.

Carolyn C.

Some Kitties are white
Some roses are red
Sending love
♥
Carolyn
Tizzy and Fred

                                                 

                    

                     ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

Happy Birthday Brother

My digi profile sketch "Uncle Jace's" wonderful biscotti recipe for They Draw & Cook http://www.theydrawandcook.com

Dentist, drummer, banjo player, jewelry maker, cook,
animal lover, husband.
Our "baby" brother and BIRTHDAY BOY!!

Wishing brother, Jonathan..... aka Jock, Jace, Jake, JC, Jon and Steve
(its a L O N G story) a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

That's brother Jock in the highchair (middle of the
last century at one of our birthday celebrations.
Just who's is a mystery).