Good morning goblins

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

My nephew is loving on Halloween.
He is a little Hamlet. 

He's talking to a skull. his latest treasure he likes to sleep with. 

He gives me every reason to think of him as a brilliant little creature.
Always making smart decisions.

He is 2. He is edible.

Alas poor Yorick...

(pronounced by little Hamlet as "work it") 

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I tell myself every year that I am going to invest a little less in Halloween.


I'm going to take it easy.

I may as well realize that will never be the case.


However- Mad Props to my self control. I spent $8.00 on my costume.
This is good news for your local starving artist.


It may or may not help that I own most every accessory in the world. I'm talking pompoms. glitter. feathers. string.


and cardboard. Which is the universal art tool that can make anything.
I stand by that.


I even pulled some of my costume off my mantle. Is that weird?

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So while we went out this weekend as Circus Freaks ( I use that term affectionately)



We get to do it all over again tonight.


I am thrilled.

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I want to give a giant shout out to the places of work that are all dressed up today.

I always cracked up at the morning activity -
 "ahahahah look at you!"  and "ooooh thats a good costume."



Followed abruptly by the normal work day activity.




Im sorry. am I the ONLY ONE who sees a unicorn on a conference call?!



And I also love-


When a waitress takes your order and genuinely wants to know what you would like as a side. But you cannot even think about that as you watch the fake blood dripping from her ear.



My mind goes straight to the logistics of de-costuming- Ugh that shower is not gonna be easy.



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This weekend we went on a run. turned a corner. and literally faced about a hundred zombies coming from the other direction.


Speechless.

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and tonight.



Our street is about to explode in Halloween Crazy.


So I took it easy this year.

And I may or may not have climbed a tree to get a better decoration effect.



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Thats just me.

Im not really into the holidays.

                                                                                                                                                                                      sneak peek

I just enjoy watching others go too far.



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I will be back to reality tomorrow.


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I kid.


But I will be less tied up.
(said the mummy)


Someone stop me.
ok.
I will stop myself.

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...and then the rabbit sat.

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Crowncrest Drive<--My side project.

I don't broadcast all of my art projects on this blog 

because when I work with other companies there are timelines I have to respect. 

and copyrights. and also sometimes projects fizzle out when you work with other people. so I wait until things are done to scream about them. 

I can tell you that I recently did some illustration work for a company and when that book is available I will throw it at you. In a very non violent way. Probably a light toss. 

Probably just hold out my arms and show it to you. 

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You know MANY times I start talking to people who have ideas about collaborative work. 

and then, just like at a crowded wine and cheese party, 

I turn around and they're on their way out the door with a hunk of brie. 

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But always. Always. 

I have side projects of my own. and big dreams for these side projects.

Metaphorically... all my little side projects are belted into my motorbike's sidecar. They take turns peeking out wearing sports goggles.

(I wish that sentence wasn't metaphorical)

And because they are mine. I can tell you about them. 

So here is one. 

It's called Crowncrest Drive.

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Like I have said before. 

And continue to think:

These 'little me' drawings show up often...and say what's what. 

She tells it like it is. 

I think that if I mashed these cartoons together. and made them into a sandwich. (no mayo) I would call that sandwich / collection of drawings:

CROWNCREST DRIVE.

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Because 8 is when your brain is at its best. and success can be measured by your ability to maintain that 8 yr old brain. 

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I'm fairly certain on that. 

Scratch that. very certain.

Here is a Monday snack. 

A piece of Crowncrest Drive.

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HAPPY FRIDAY- giveaway winner. and fall appreciation day (aka everyday)

Excuse the workers. (Site Maintenance)

I had a giveaway a few posts ago.  HERE.

I asked,

What is your big love/ big dream?

And

Who do you want to encourage in their big love/ big dream?

Because I had two cards to give away.

One to you. and one to the person you want to encourage.

The responses were beautiful. 

Thank you.

I am very much amazed at the thought you put into the comments.

In my expectations, I sort of saw one-word answers. 

Maybe a tiny bit of elaborating. Maybe two people would comment... 

But these responses.

I heard you. 

I gasped a little at some of them.

I took the liberty of pulling pieces together here...

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Your dreams. are fantastic.Your guts to voice them. more fantastic.

...I'm gonna tell you what my big dream is even though I'm too chicken to tell anyone else.

...My dream is to be a hospice nurse someday and to hold people's hands who are dying with such a tangible hope in God's redemption that they can believe then, even if they never did before.

...Someday I'll get the courage to work on it, not only for me but for my 2 little girls.

...I love museums. It’s kinda crazy, I know...I run after museums because I know I can help museums make a difference in the life of someone who needs it. Maybe I can help a community become a greater part of the information the museum presents about them.

 ...I LOVE my girls. I never thought that I would be in this sort of place in life. Everything else seems to take second place

...I would love to encourage children to find their passions

...my 1 dream that I've been working towards for a while now is to find a way for my French skills and physical therapy knowledge to come together to serve medically for a week or 2 annually as a PT in Africa. 

...My big dream is to figure out my dreams... does that make sense?

...My big love right now is a hefty combination of a multitude of small ones. 

...for my daughters to foster an obsessive sisterly love for each other. Make them laugh, look carefully at small flower buds, feel bark, and try to make condo-life a magical mysterious cacophony of life...

And then my sweet husband, whose patient love endures my failings, exhaustion, lame dinners, and frizzy hair...to notice, appreciate, and love him fearlessly.

...writing my own recipes and someday maybe having a little pie cookbook. I love the idea of people enjoying and sharing something I helped them to be able to do. 

And the people you want to encourage? I do too.

...I strive to be the mom she is!

...there is one guy I know who is desperately unhappy because his life isn't matching him right now, he is drinking too much, but he is at breaking point and I know he will choose life. He is the one I would encourage.

...My dream for (my children) is that they would be passionate people with dreams of their own and believe they can achieve those dreams.

...she has the perfect personality, patience and passion to teach them and make a huge difference in their lives. I know that everyone lucky enough to have her as a teacher will also be taught a love of music.

...this girl Lives her life to the fullest, she is so comfortable in her own skin and she rocks the world in the most beautiful way!

...My sister, whose tireless love for her family works harder than I can imagine. I am proud to share the name momma with her.

...the more I think and pray about it, I want to tell him to go for it, make a step that I might be too afraid to make but that he is ready to trust God in. He's awesome, and he will change the world.

...My Dad: I wish he lived closer to us so he can learn that its ok to tell your kids that you love them.

To pick a winner I numbered pieces of paper to match the comment entries. And, I went old school here and put all of the entries in a bowl.

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And drew number 5. (My sister was the witness. She liked this role.)

So

!!!CONGRATS!!!

COMMENT 5: JEB

email abernathy.parade@gmail.com with the address you would like the cards mailed to! and your cards will be on the way. one for you. one blank for someone else. 

Whew. Thank you everyone.

Regarding October. Which is running away as we speak!
(Cell phone documentation is necessary.)

You can find me in the leaves this weekend. I sort of stay there.

I would enter this in the "most beautiful walk to coffee contest"

And because she jumped in my face. Here is a shout out to the best street graffiti.

Have a fantastic weekend. 

Disclaimer:
Today blogger will not let me choose any spacing on my own. After I publish the post edits... it enters 9308432 spaces between lines that I want to be single spaced. After trying to edit the entire post a thousand and four times... I am letting it be. Which is hard. And I am resisting the urge to try again. Just know. I did not hit enter 42 times between each phrase. 

"Text me when you leave the office. I'll start hauling puppets outside"- me.

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Excuse the blur of this shot. 

It is from a cell phone. and the little image traveled all the way across the United States.

And, in her defense,  my friend had no idea I was going to post this when she sent it to me.

(I have her permission though :) )

But I think it is of mad importance. For a few reasons.

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1. the purse on her right arm. 

2. her smile. we aren't laughing at her. she's the one who aced it. and she knows.

3. PEOPLE DO NOTHING BUT SUPPORT ME! 

this text was like a giant high five/ hug from this baby girl's momma.

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I want to say- I am very aware of the support I get on a daily basis. 

such as the above picture.

the small emails. the tiny notes. 

the mention of.- oh, I read your blog. or- hey, what are you working on?

when someone asks my opinion regarding design in general. 

when someone sees something neat and thinks of me.

when my dear supporters spread the word about my work.

or buy me candy corn.

I am aware of it all. and how lucky I am.

that people get me.

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So if you get me. 

you will get the scene below. 

and realize. you are supporting a crazy person. 

I mean.  

Someone obviously cool. 

I occasionally break out in a sweat when I carry my work around publicly. 

1- because it is heavy or awkward to carry. 

2- because when you make work you love... then watch people see it. you may as well be naked.

Especially when my work is out of context. 

Like- puppets on the street. 

        ( good name for a show.)

My talented photography friend Becca Hankins

 snapped images of me with some of my creatures the other afternoon.

these guys didn't make the cut.

I present- My life.

What you don't see. 

are the cars and people walking through the alley the entire time.

No Wait. Yes you do.

Seriously. 

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Excuse me, sir. 

Look. at. Dodgson. the rabbit. being awesome.

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And. if I could rewrite my high school paper. It would go something like this...

When I grow up I want to be:

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HEY!, PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST: 

THE GIVEAWAY IN THE PREVIOUS POST ENDS ON FRIDAY!!

Any commenter on the previous post will be entered to win the 2 handmade cards!

so---> COMMENT!!! 

I will randomly select the winner.

it seriously overjoys me. and adds so much to the blog. so thank you for any comment. 

Ever.

xo.

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(GIVEAWAY! for real.) and --->Fall is here. I've been trying to tell everyone as if it is completely MY responsibility.

This is real life. 





I think it is my job to alert the world that it is fall.

So I've been rushing around trying to take care of all my duties.


Like documenting every tree that has changed.

and sending pictures to people who care. or should care.




There are leaves all over the sidewalk.

and today.

in puddles.

There is this one tree that's ahead of the game. and I want to give him a personal shout out here.

You know who you are.

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But,

First thing.


I am blown away by the response to my last post.

The one about my invincible dad.

If you haven't read it, look below.


It took a lot out of me and when I hit publish I wasn't sure if I had done him justice.


There is this need to represent his entire life in one single post. and that is crazy.

That can't happen.



So each comment and each private note or message I have received... those have filled my heart.

Thank you.

I mean it.


In October 2005, I sat at the dining room table while people ate ham biscuits, snagged pieces of cake, threw cheese on crackers, and filled their cups with soda and lemonade.
I wore a gold skirt and a white top in defiance.

I was not going to have my dad go out in a parade of darkness.

But I sat at the table while people spun around me. and I bawled because he wasn't there.

And cried a lot because I realized the new people in my life would not meet him.


HOWEVER.

The published post below is a reminder that
yes they will.


You can, in fact, meet someone who is no longer walking around in their navy blue suit.

You can know someone even though you did not shake their hand.

and I am thrilled that I can be a part of keeping his spirit alive.

But of course, all of his children are a part of that. his entire family. and his friends.

I am so glad.


So there is my great big thank you. and I am sure there will be more of that.



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Back to fall. and October.

I could not have said it better.

The picture above is what my insides look like.

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And. because I saw it- you have to too.

I present- the scariest thing ever.

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And, yes. Yes. she has a lightsaber.
(Wikipedia told me it was one word. So I listened.)

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This is the second scariest thing ever. 

These pictures are not jokes.

They are sincere portraits. and pardon my terrible flash but I had to take this picture quickly.

And

We literally watched this for about 20 minutes silently.

And. I think this art entry by a student was really a shout out to me.

Please note the perspective on the flute-player!

Additionally,

I have no explanation for this food entry.

But, I really need to know why 3rd from the left is sad.

It is baffling.

And finally.

The artist is in the bottom left corner.

Say no more.

 God Bless America.

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And, because I feel the need for a blast from the past:

remember last October? what I made for my nephew? Oh you don't?  We should all relive this.

See HERE.

for last October's project of the month.

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and now. the promised 


!giveaway!






Focus now.

In the spirit of this blog:

1.What  do you LOVE? What are you running after, dreaming of, or hungry for? _______________

I'm very serious.

ALL ANSWERS ACCEPTABLE.


AND

2. Do you know someone else who is hungry, running, dreaming, wishing, trying?________________

Do you?

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. can be anything. someone trying to have a fantastic life. someone that is an amazing friend. someone who wants to raise incredible children. or works hard every day and comes home to write a novel. or someone that gives wonderful eye opening advice. or someone who is looking to love more. like themselves. be healthy. finish school. care for their parents. fight for justice. fight for their LIFE. etc.

What about someone who is struggling, but you know they can do it.

Do you ever say - "psssst- You are a big deal."
because you should Tell them.

Yeah. I know a billion. a billion.

OK. I have a plan. 

If you tell me

1. your big LOVE / big DREAM.
(could be one of many. could seem little too. but if it is a dream at all. it is big)

and 

2. one other person who makes you proud to be a human being. someone you want to encourage.

then I will give these away.

From the comments below, I will randomly select a winner who will get these two babies.

ONE is from me. to YOU. 

the other. 

Is to give to that person you told me about. So it will be blank. for YOU to fill in.

Seriously. do it.

Don't be shy. 

Shy is ok sometimes. 

But today, don't be. 

Let the party start.

Spread the love.

Comment below.

(Happy Fall)