HOLIDAY GREETINGS 2016

★★WARMEST WISHES!!★★

WHO KNEW?

December 15 is NATIONAL CAT HERDERS DAY!!
Con molti ringraziamenti al mio grande amico, Tomasso Di Paola
che mi ha mandato questa notizia di oggi.❤❤❤
Without a doubt, my new favorite holiday!!
Finally, something to celebrate on a magnificent scale.
Maybe a RODEO!!
Too late for this year…..but will be ready next time!!

©Tomie DePaola art - all rights reserved 

GIVING THANKS

My cover art/ Ladybug mag.

Giving thanks for my loving caring funny 
family and friends.

❊ PEACE ON EARTH ❊

(illustration from my book THE LITTLE SNOWGIRL)

Difficult year ending.
Hoping for a better year 2013

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

      

Detail from my Hanukkah illustration from a while ago 
for LadyBug magazine

   

  H A P P Y   H A N U K K A H !!

2012 So Far

 ⓒCarolyn Croll 2012/ Silkworm with 
Mulberry (after Maria Sibylla Merian)

Six days in.
So far: 


Discovered my lovely 
blood-red Bokara, scored 
on sale when Wanamakers 
went out of business years ago,
totaled by wool moths.


Imbibing massive amounts 
of chicken soup, tea w/lemon 
and honey. Gargling through
my annual head cold.


Received an email requesting
permission to use "part" of a 
piece of my sample art from 
the internet, after the requester 
had lifted, altered and used 
it twice. 
Permission denied. 
Property of a client.


Another year begins........ ACHOO!
:~)

HAPPY 2012

   WISHING ALL A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

                                          Carolyn, Tizzy and Freddie

BOO!!

When Edie Weinberg sent me Tony Johnston's 
delightful "scary" story, BOO, A Story 
That Could Be True to illustrate I couldn't
wait to start.

ⓒ Carolyn Croll 2011

A ghost story for early readers, begins in the 
grand tradition. Oooooo!

ⓒ Carolyn Croll 2011

Naturally, there is a ghost. But what's 
with the pickle?

ⓒ Carolyn Croll 2011

The Farmer and his Cat start hearing scary sounds.

ⓒ Carolyn Croll 2011

More funny than scary.

Not going to give the ending away, 
except to say this book practically 
designed itself.

ⓒ Carolyn Croll 2011

Many thanks to Tony Johnston for 

this wonderful story!

And also to marvelous Edie Weinberg 

for asking me to do the pictures!

 

Settlement

In these times that can try one's soul,

so pleasing to report that there are still honest

people in the world as well as on the internet.

October 12, 2011, discovered to my fury that

someone had used one of my illustrations on

a CD cover for sale on a website from India.

Initially, though figuring this a losing proposition 
on top of the theft, I sent a scathing email message 
to the site. Documented the theft with the original 
and stolen (and slightly Photoshopped) images. 

ⓒCarolyn Croll 2011

Expecting no response, imagine my surprise upon

receiving not only a reply, but an apology 
and immediate offer to pay for the art usage, 
remove the CD covers in question and investigate 
the art agency involved.

And only 2 days later, agreement reached.

Payment by PayPal and they have dropped the errant

agency responsible for the entire issue.

http://www.superaudio.in/

In today's world this is such a heartwarming 
and encouraging experience. A conscientious 
online merchant in a faraway jurisdiction.

The Internet providing the means of instant 
communication and solution. 


Remembering when just ordering a book from 

London or Amsterdam required an international 
banker and the better part of a year between
ordering and receiving.

Happy Birthday, Tomie

A carissimo Tomassino, 

T deP by CC

Buon Compleanno con

un grande abbraccio e 

molto amore!

Carolina diFilli    :~)

My Comfort Zone

(click on images to enlarge)

Probably the result of all the years I spent as a student. 

Elementary school, junior high, then high school. 

Plus 4 years of art school. 

Followed by nearly 20 years teaching 2-D Design, 

Fashion Illustration and Children's Book Illustration, 

part time at the old alma mater, the Philadelphia College of Art.

(now the University of the Arts).

September first has always been my new years day.

Heat and humidity won't last much longer.

School starts.

Put on socks.

And a sweater.

Can't wait!

What's Cooking?

(click on images to enlarge)

In today's mail, a copy of the latest Old Farmer's

Almanac for Kids, volume 4. Including a spread 

I did about a year ago. Takes a while to assemble 

all the parts; words, art and photos.

Given just the space I had to work in and the request

for Dad to be rolling out dough with lots of ingredients 

on the table and children watching. But what were they

cooking?

rough sketch

©Carolyn Croll 2011

Didn't know anything else until I opened the 

Almanac this afternoon. Good fun.

And I didn't forget to add the cat.

Making A Mark

Doing a bookmark as a self imposed assignment helped
me practice some basics while learning to do my drawing, 
painting, and designing work on the computer. 

SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS

Nice thing about living on a mountain top

in center city Philadelphia, the view of 

snow covered peaks in the morning after

a blizzard.

Not blogging much lately. Using the time

to practice and learn more about making

digital art. 

Hoping to make it to Carnegie Hall.........

Shop Talk

(click on images to enlarge)

Find my cat pins at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ciaocarolina

Getting my morning off to a delightful start.

Message from fellow Etsy.Com shop keeper ArtSings1946 
that she has included my little gray cat pin in her How We Love Our Kitties, Treasury. 
I am honored.

Some of ArtSings1946  charming folk art prints.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtSings1946?ga_search_query=ArtSings1946&ga_

search_type=seller_usernames

Remembering Jane

This week Jane Flory Friedman, 
my old friend and mentor has been 
gone five years,

                                   

Wall Hanging, Jane Flory Friedman, 1999

For the 40+ years that we were 
friends, along with raising a family, 
caring for a disabled husband, 
running the Evening Division at 
what is now the University of the Arts 
and writing and illustrating her books, 
Jane was working on needlepoint or 
pieced and appliqued quilts. Rugs, 
wall hangings, large bed quilts, quilted 
throws and my special favorites, doll house 
size quilts and rugs. Here are just two 
examples of her many colorful joyous pieces.

Doll house size bed quilt, 4"X4", Jane Flory Friedman

More to come in future

A Really Good Yarn.

Erika Flory's, Calypso Hat

(click on images to enlarge)

My friend Erika Flory is a knitting virtuoso.

She knits for pleasure. As for business she is 
Knitwear Designer for her own KidKnits© label 
for over 20+ years of the 45+ years she has 
been knitting.

Erika is also the youngest daughter of my old

dear friend and mentor, Jane Flory.

(see my 11/25/2008 post) 

Erika Flory wearing her own Sunset stole

What began as a hobby grew into a business.

Starting with her hand knit sweaters and hats

for babies and toddlers which Erika sold at

crafts shows, KidKnits© has grown to include

its own website http://www.kidknits.biz where

kits and patterns of Erika's marvelous designs

are available.

Yellow Cardigan, KidKnits

Baby Kimono, KidKnits

Sweet toddler dress

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, these small socks

For knitters on your holiday lists consider Erika Flory's books, 

Head To Toe Knits with 23 designs to knit for babies. Or maybe 

A Baker's Dozen, a collection of that number of lovely hats for babies.

And now Erika Flory's gorgeous knitwear is available 

at KidKnits as patterns and kits. Took me hours to 

choose several samples to post here, they are so

delightful.

Shrug, KidKnits

Bec's BBQ, KidKnits

Along with running her business and with her Architect 

husband, Michael Hauptman, taking care of her family

Erika leads a group of volunteers teaching knitting and

crochet to the blind and vision impaired.

You an learn more about Erika Flory and her beautiful

work at:

http://www.kidknits.biz

http://www.ravelry.com

(type kidknits in the search box)

And her blog: 

http://itsabouttheknitting.blogspot.com