Be Your Own Artist BBQ, Peace Valley Park, New Britain, PA

I had a great time this weekend at the Be Your Own Artist BBQ!  Lili Wang Consulting and Be the Light of the Party Foundation hosted the event.  Special thanks to Lili for donating all the proceeds to the Foundation.  Guests had a picnic of hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, veggies/dip, cupcakes, and brownies.  Lili made great cupcakes with homemade pink butter cream frosting.  They were so good I had three!  I also liked the lemon iced tea - very refreshing.  I wrote a special poem for the event called "Parasols in the Park."  (I included a copy of it in the previous post on this blog.)  All the children received a copy of the poem along with a sun parasol to decorate.  There was also a Little Artist Contest, silent auction, and raffle.  Peacock Parade was one of the raffle items.  Some of the guests enjoyed a paddle boat ride on beautiful Lake Galena.  It was a day filled with food, fun, art, music, friends, family, and charity.  I included some photos from the BBQ below and also a link to the photo album here: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1947159712585.2108338.1050312982&l=c9cad9ef27

Lili Wang came up with the idea for the Be Your Own Artist BBQ.  Thanks Lili!  If you would like to view some of Lili's beautiful art, go to: http://www.liliartstudio.com/ or visit in person Lili's Art Exhibit in Artists House Gallery in Philadelphia, PA until June 26.    

Also, forgot to mention there is a place called the Peace Valley Lavender Farm near the park.  It is a nice place to visit if you are in the area.  I purchased a lavender plant, some culinary lavender, and also some lavender honey.  Very yummy!  Now I just need to create a recipe!      

Parasols in the Park

Here is the special poem I wrote for the Be Your Own Artist BBQ in Peace Valley Park yesterday, Saturday, June 4, 2011.  Each child at the event received a signed copy of the poem along with a sun parasol.  Some of the children decided to decorate their parasols with paint.  It was a great day! 

Parasols in the Park

Parasols in the park
Twirling in the noon heat,
Conquering the sun's reign
Offering a quaint retreat.

Those little clouds of white
How they delight in shade.
And with a breeze take flight
In Peace Valley on brigade.

Shadows on the lake
Reminiscent of a distant time,
A picnic with tea and cake
Sandwiches of cress, cheese, and thyme.

Parasols in the park,
Umbrellas with style,
And art in motion
Basking in the sun for awhile.

Sharkey's Cuts for Kids in New Britain, PA - Book Signing

Today, I had a book signing at Sharkey's Cuts for Kids.  I had a lot of fun getting ready for this event.  I did my hair in a braid with a peacock feather and added a splash of blue color.  My nails were done in peacock blue and my daughter joined me with a peacock/blue hairstyle.  I also wore my first ever maxi dress!  It had a peacock design and touched the floor in true maxi-gown style.  I even did a little peacock eye makeup.  Fun!!  Special thanks to Amy for inviting me to her very colorful salon.  I scheduled an appointment with Miss Angela for my daughter's first ever manicure.  She had a great time.  She also enjoyed trying the samples of scented lotions available, including banana and chocolate.  Miss Angela also added a peacock feather to her hairstyle for the day.  Check out the photos below from my visit.  Evan and Carly join me for some pictures.  Thanks guys and thanks to Sharkey's too!  Stop by Sharkey's for your child's next haircut.  You can also read a copy of Peacock Parade while you are there! 

My Visit to St. David School in Willow Grove, PA

Yesterday, the day after my birthday, I had the pleasure of visiting St. David School.  I spent time with Mrs. Spinnraker's Pre-Kindergarten, Ms. Rush's Kindergarten, Mrs. Kensey's First Grade, and Mrs. Marsteller's Second Grade students.  The children, teachers, and staff were wonderful!  I received a warm welcome and many hugs.  Special thanks to Melanie Meyers for inviting me to come to St. David's!  The children looked adorable in their uniforms.  It reminded me of my younger days at Nativity of Our Lord School in Warminster.   

It was also a great day for the charities I support, Be the Light of the Party Foundation and Dandelion Time, since I received 30 book orders from the students!  It's always fun to sign books.  This time I decided to add something to my standard "Hearts and Hugs," signature - something special for just the students at St. David's.  I added "Love and Light!"  I like to do special things for the students at different schools, when the opportunity presents itself.  I read to the classes, answered questions, and showed the children how to do the Heart Project.  They made very lovely hearts for Be the Light of the Party Foundation's June party at Saint John's Hospice in Philadelphia.  We finished our visit right before lunch and concluded with a unique variation of The Big Hug (photo below). 

Thanks so much to the children, teachers, staff, and parents of the St. David School!   

Willow Dale Elementary School Visit in Warminster, PA

Did you ever have one of those days where your step seems a little bit quicker and the sun seems to shine brighter?  You could be in love or you could have just experienced a fabulous author visit at Willow Dale Elementary.  If you are guessing the latter, you would be correct!  But I think love also wins since I have a warm spot in my heart for the teachers, staff, and children at the school.  I spent my Cinco de Mayo with Mrs. Laatsch's First Grade class and the students from Ms. Oniskey's Second Grade.  I did a reading of Peacock Parade, Question and Answer Session, and Heart Project with each class.

I began my day at 9:15am with First Grade and was greeted with many warm smiling faces, along with a freshly picked dandelion, drawing of a dandelion, and a lovely bouquet of white roses.  The children had prepared for my visit by reading my Bio page on my website.  I was so very impressed!  They knew I liked roses, dogs, and of course, dandelions.  I felt very special!  We talked about connections and writing.  They also decorated hearts for Be the Light of the Party Foundation's June party for the homeless at Saint John's Hospice in Philadelphia.  The Principal stopped by to visit and one of the students asked me for my autograph (my first "out of book" autograph experience - very cool!).  We finished the morning with an awesome group hug and a peacock feather wave (both of which are pictured below).  They surprised me with a signed note at the end of the day.  In the Second Grade class, the children presented me with a bunch of beautiful tulips.  They hung a large, colorful poster, decorated and signed with all of their names.  We talked about birthdays and writing, and I got to read a journal story.  They spent some time thinking of unique "phrases of praise" for their hearts.  We also took a group photo (pictured below). 

What a great day!  I'm sending my thanks, love, and gratitude to all the children, teachers, and staff of Willow Dale.  You guys so totally rock!!     

  

I will be taking a creative writing class for the next few weeks at Rosemont College.  I think it is a good way to keep my writing fresh and exciting. 

I just found this photo of my daughter taken a few years ago.  I thought I would post it since she has a peacock feather in her hair.  Children sometimes ask me why I chose a peacock to star in my first book.  I guess the answer is because I have always liked them.  I even have photos of peacocks from when I was in high school.  I also wanted to pick a character that had not been used a lot in stories - something beautiful, but unique.   

Night At Penn's Museum

Hello All,

I went with my two children and husband this weekend to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology for their 40 Winks with the Sphinx event for Alums.  We arrived with our sleeping bags Friday night and went on a flashlight tour of the exhibits.  I got my first henna tatoo/body art - it's a bracelet supposed to last about a week or so.  We also got to touch a mummy and a few artefacts - up close and personal!  Very cool!!  Saw some ancient desserts - thousands of years old.  Then sampled some modern versions - a plum cookie and crysanthemum tea.  We all slept on the floor in the room with the Sphinx.  The next morning featured a nice buffet breakfast catered by Wolfgang Puck.  I loved the coffee.  It was absolutely wonderful.  We finished the day on Saturday afternoon with a train ride to Market Street and a Philly cheesesteak.  Great time! 

Take Care,
LeeAnn