Monthly Archives: May 2016

A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt, Guests-Brenda Harsham and Daughter, Anna

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Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Hello, Great Readers of our series! Just In case you haven’t visited before, let me tell you a little about A Great Nephew and A Great Aunt. My great nephew, Landon (a sixth-grader) and I (his great aunt) collaborate. I write a poem which he illustrates. We started this collaboration in the fall of 2014 and have had so much fun with it that we decided to invite others along. Landon and I will continue to have a new episode on the second Friday of each month. The other Fridays are filling up quickly with guests.

I have created a page on my website to view all the episodes of A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt. Click HERE to visit the page and enjoy past episodes.

Today it’s my pleasure to share a creative collaboration from . . .

Brenda Harsham and Her Daughter, Anna

The Art

Anna's art

Art by Anna

The PoemSlide1

Brenda and AnnaBrenda and Anna

Fun with Anna.
Anna in tree teepeeAnna and violin

Many thanks to Brenda and Anna for sharing their talents with us today!

Meet Anna: Anna Cathryn is a poet, artist and violinist extraordinaire of the First Grade. She calls herself the Anna Cat, and she loves to dress up as a panther in her favorite fuzzy fleece. She enjoys reading her Shel Silverstein poems aloud. Anna Cat also likes hot chocolate, watermelon and udon soup. But not mushrooms!

Meet Brenda: Brenda is a poet, author, photographer, fairy tale blogger and chocolate acolyte. But don’t offer her lima beans, ugh! She’s a member of SCBWI-NE and the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge.
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Julie Larios at The Drift Record has the Poetry Friday Roundup today. If you’d like to know more about Poetry Friday, click HERE for an explanation by Renee LaTulippe.poetry friday button
Twitter: @BrendaDHarsham
Email: friendlyfairytales [at] gmail.com

A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt, Guests-Margaret Simon and Nephew, Jack

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Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Hello, Great Readers of our series! Just In case you haven’t visited before, let me tell you a little about A Great Nephew and A Great Aunt. My great nephew, Landon (a sixth-grader) and I (his great aunt) collaborate. I write a poem which he illustrates. We started this collaboration in the fall of 2014 and have had so much fun with it that we decided to invite others along. Landon and I will continue to have a new episode on the second Friday of each month. The other Fridays are filling up quickly with guests.

I have created a page on my website to view all the episodes of A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt. Click HERE to visit the page and enjoy past episodes.

Today it’s my pleasure to share a creative collaboration from . . .

Margaret Simon and Her Nephew, Jack

Jack Drumming
Margaret’s Poem

Slide1

Margaret and Jack at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans eating beignets.Jack beignets copy

One handsome drummer!

Jack with drums copy

Many thanks to Margaret and Jack for sharing their talents with us today.

Meet Jack: An early age, Margaret’s nephew Jack was destined to be a drummer.  He seemed to have an innate sense of rhythm even as a toddler.  He would tap along to music on his carseat or at the dinner table. He started assembling drum sets with pans and tupperware containers from the kitchen cabinet.  At age 6, after attending his sister’s middle school band concert, Jack declared that he wanted to play percussion in middle school.  Knowing that piano lessons would help him achieve this, his mom (Margaret’s sister) signed him up for piano lessons right away.  He excelled at piano but still felt a need to “get the beats out of his head.”   Jack received a small starter drum set which he played with passion.  At age 9, Jack upgraded his drum set and started formal drum lessons.  He has a strong ear,  impeccable rhythm, and loves to practice.  In the fall of 2016, he will enter middle school.  He has chosen percussion for his instrument in band.  No surprise there.

Meet Margaret: Margaret Simon is a poet, artist, teacher, mother.  She teaches gifted students in elementary grades in Iberia Parish, Louisiana.  Living on a bayou offers inspiration for poetry and peace.  Now that her daughters are adults, she spends more time writing than ever before.  She published her first middle grade novel, Blessen, in 2012.  She is currently pitching the sequel, Sunshine.  She published a book of poems with her father’s art in a small chapbook, Illuminate, in 2013.  Currently she is writing a verse novel.  She lives with her husband of over 30 years on the Bayou Teche and blogs regularly at Reflections on the Teche.

poetry friday button

And guess what? Margaret is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Reflections on the Teche. If you’d like to know more about Poetry Friday, click HERE for an explanation by Renee LaTulippe.

A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt: Lorelai and Penny

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Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon

Hello, Great Readers of our series! Just In case you haven’t visited before, let me tell you a little about A Great Nephew and A Great Aunt. My great nephew, Landon (a sixth-grader) and I (his great aunt) collaborate. I write a poem which he illustrates. We started this collaboration in the fall of 2014 and have had so much fun with it that we decided to invite others along. Landon and I will continue to have a new episode on the second Friday of each month. The other Fridays are filling up quickly with guests. I have created a page on my website to view all the episodes of A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt. Click HERE to visit the page and enjoy past episodes.

It’s the second Friday of the month so normally Landon and I would be collaborating. But instead my great niece, Lorelai, is sharing her artistic talent today. Lorelai is in kindergarten and her interpretation of my poem brought many smiles to my face.

Lorelai said she felt like the poem was about how the ducks let all the other momma and baby animals join in their spring parade

The Poem

Slide1

The Art

crop best

art by Lorelai

Lorelai at work.thumb_IMG_3457_1024thumb_IMG_3458_1024
Loving Momma Bird.thumb_IMG_3455_1024A very proud artist.thumb_IMG_3456_1024

Thanks so much for joining us for today’s episode.I imagine you are smiling at Lorelai’s art right along with me!
Please come back next week for another fabulous guest collaboration.

Violet at Violet Nesdoly | Poems had the Poetry Friday Roundup today.If you’d like to know more about Poetry Friday, click HERE for an explanation by Renee LaTulippe.poetry friday button

A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt, Guests-Carrie Charley Brown and Daughter, Chloe

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Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Ants may rule the hill, but they don’t rule here! Art by Landon (Click to Enlarge)

Hello, Great Readers of our series! Just In case you haven’t visited before, let me tell you a little about A Great Nephew and A Great Aunt. My great nephew, Landon (a sixth-grader) and I (his great aunt) collaborate. I write a poem which he illustrates. We started this collaboration in the fall of 2014 and have had so much fun with it that we decided to invite others along. Landon and I will continue to have a new episode on the second Friday of each month. The other Fridays are filling up quickly with guests.

I have created a page on my website to view all the episodes of A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt. Click HERE to visit the page and enjoy past episodes.

Today it’s my pleasure to share a creative collaboration from . . .

Carrie Charley Brown and Her Daughter, Chloe

From Carrie: It’s important to follow projects that speak to your heart. What do you want to write? What do you want to draw? My daughter Chloe started with a gorgeous intricate tree sketch, but her heart led her to craft a different tree, hosting a lone owl and incorporating a new medium. Like a brainstorm, one thing led to another. I love that, don’t you? Listen to your inner voice. Follow your heart.

intricatetree copy

Art by Chloe


nighttree copy

Art by Chloe

From Carrie: When I sat down to soak in the inspiration from Chloe’s chosen art, the process of her revision and the migration to a new image called to me. (Along with the art itself.)Slide1

The collaborators.ChloeCarrie copy

Many thanks to Carrie and Chloe for sharing their talents today.

Chloe copy

 

Meet Chloe:

Chloe is an eleven year-old artist, singer, and actor. She is still exploring all the world has to offer, but seems to come back to art and expression in all that she does.

HEADSHOT'15 copy

 

Meet Carrie:

Like Chloe, the art of creation spoke to Carrie at a very early age. Whether singing, acting, crafting, or writing, Carrie has always enjoyed expressing herself through the arts and helping others to do the same. She is the founder of ReFoReMo and a professional critique mentor for picture book writers. A full-time writer herself, she assists authors and KidLit organizations with social media marketing and acts as the regional advisor for SCBWI North Texas. When not on the ReFoReMo blog, you can find her posts on Writer’s Rumpus and Carrie On…Together.

Sylvia at Poetry for Children has the Poetry Friday Roundup today. If you’d like to know more about Poetry Friday, click HERE for an explanation by Renee LaTulippe.poetry friday button