GROSS, DISGUSTING & UTTERLY FASCINATING

February just happens to be National Children's Dental Health Month. 

Yawning?

Well maybe a look through Dr. Theodore Croll's
GROSSER, MORE DISGUSTING, BUT STILL TOTALLY COOL MOUTH BOOK, 
will snap you and/ or your kids out of the deep freeze outside and into the hot stuff that could be happening in your mouth!

Not  just your usual admonition to brush and floss. 
A Dentist's view of what's gross, disgusting and needs fixing inside a neglected mouth.
Accompanied by riviting clearly written descriptions, and inluding results of the Dentist's fascinating work.

Encouragement for better dental hygiene!

Proud to declare that long before becoming a most respected Pediatric Dentist, Husband and Father, the Author/ Photographer has always been my dearest clever brother Ted.

Book available:
http://www.practicon.com/item/the-grosser-more-disgusting-but-still-totally-cool-mouth-book-hardback-8099613/8099613

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).

❊ 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 !!

BIRTHDAY GIRL AT 90

     Our Mom turns 90 today or as she likes to say (nodding to George Carlin) 32 celsius.
     
     Unconditional love, devotion, determination and great humor. 

     Lost her vision to the inherited disorder Retinitis Pigmentosa (ruined retinas due to the inability to metabolize vitamin A).  Completely blind for the last 30 years. 
    With equanimity and grace, accepting that which she could not change. Relinquishing the pleasures of the visual arts, live theater and shopping. Mom has never seen most of my books.
    Yet still taking great pleasure in music and conversation and family adventures. 
Interested in politics, the Franklin Institute Red Tail Hawks and the internet among other things.
     
     In fragile health these last few months.  
     Celebrating your milestone birthday with all our love, hugs, kisses, gourmet lunch and sweet potato pecan cupcakes with cream cheese icing!!


               ❤❤ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR MOM!! ❤❤

                                                   
   

REMEMBERING, JANE

My dear friend and mentor, Author/Illustrator 
Jane Flory Freedman, passed away
November 25, 2005, seven years ago.

So many changes and the urge to share the 
current laughter, gossip and inspiration continues.

How much she would have enjoyed it all.

Detail from my photo of Jane Flory

on our research expedition to the

Landis Valley Museum, Lancaster, PA

http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Flory__Jane_Trescott.html

janeflory.blogspot.com/

Trick Or Treat!

My illustration from QUESTIONS, by Lee Bennett Hopkins, HarperCollins