House Art Journal

Although it's hardly a popular modern pasttime, I have a devotion to the Infant of Prague , the "Little King," crowned and robed, which my fifth-grade teacher, Sister Mary Rose, planted in me. I was intrigued when my "Snow White" friend admitted that she had recently taken up the same devotion. After the death of her mother, she began to find statues of the Little King turning up in odd places. Or rather, she says, "He found me ." And she took Him to her heart and home. Now the small statues, free of their stiff embroidered robes and clad in the simple priestly alb, send their benediction from several quiet corners in her home. The one above stands in the entry room window. Another holds court in the kitchen, adorened with a rose-ribbon-stole, and a third reigns on her dresser. I particularly love the evocative shrine that my friend and her children made for the King in the photo above. A clock reminds them that Christ is King over all time. The candl...

I want to ask for urgent prayers for the Zak family. Their daughter is a fan of my Fairy Tale Novel series, and we've frequently exchanged friendly emails. Yesterday they lost their youngest son, Luke, age 10, who apparently died in his sleep. I can only imagine how much their family is struggling right now. Please, please pray for them. I remember the shock of losing my Joshua, and how terrible it is to lose a son. He was their youngest son, their "little angel," as their daughter put it. Please pray for the Zak family. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Just one of the many delightful views to be found in my "Snow White" friend's house... in this case, three pots of herbs and a garden beyond...

One thing I love about my "Snow White" friend's house is how she can arrange everyday useful objects in such a way that they resemble small works of art. A good example is in the downstairs bathroom of her house. A spacious wooden shelf hangs over the commode, holding useful everyday items on the lower shelf: mirrors, a box of tissues, and toiletries in a wooden basket. Folded washcloths and cosmetics are aranged on shallow wooden trays on the second shelf. The top shelf holds more decorative elements and spare liquid soaps. Less pretty items are stored in the vanity cabinet beneath the sink. The orderly arrangement of the objects and using trays to divide them keeps everything from looking cluttered. A few other inspired touches liven the small room. Shells are coupled in a metal soapdish on the wall. And other chunks of marbleized and speckled soap are mixed with river rocks in a slotted dish. I love how this solves the problem of unsightly small chunks of so...

"Rose had long, shining red hair (and)...always wore bright colors -- blue, purple, gold, and green; she was like a bright new color herself, vibrant and alive." -- The Shadow of the Bear: Snow White and Rose Red Retold , 1997* Unfortunately I don't have as many pictures of my "Rose Red" friend's house, but I love it as much as Snow White's. Like Rose Brier, the character she inspired, my friend loves bright, strong colors, and always has, despite the fact that, growing up, she was told by fashion mavens *not* to wear such colors, with her auburn hair. But my friend, always the nonconformist, fearlessly wore those colors anyhow. And after she married, she decorated the home she shares with her artist husband in the same daringly dramatic manner. I love her use of Tiffany glass (her husband works in stained glass), the antique sofa she found and had reupholstered, her red velvet curtains, hanging lamps, and unicorn tapestry over the fireplace. The house ...

You will find this little still life in my "Snow White" friend's living room: mismatched yet complementary lamps, a postcard on a tiny easel, a wooden statue, pottery bowl, and an African violet. Throughout her home you can find variations on this theme: art, light, and life, with flowers generally being a part of both. This isn't to say that every fabric is floral as well as every painting -- although a wildflower motif is very much in evidence, it's subdued. You notice it subtly -- on the lampshade -- on the napkins pressed under the glass topping a worn dresser. "Snow White" was the first person I knew who collected old furniture, especially painted and distressed pieces, years before Shabby Chic became stylish. But I wouldn't call my friend's style either shabby or chic. She is kind to older furniture, thoughtfully arranging it so that you can appreciate the fine styling or unusual shape without calling attention to missing paint or...

"I think that if a real princess was lost in this moden world, and she could be whatever she wanted, she would be a musician." - Blanche in The Shadow of the Bear , 2007 My "Snow White" friend actually is a musician, among her many accomplishments. Thanks to a musically-inclined mother, she and several of her sisters are all accomplished harpists -- and now she is teaching her own daughters the art of playing the harp. The harp is a lovely instrument to look at as well as to listen to. My friend owns several harps, and one sits to the right of her doorway. Original artwork and a generous amount of books fill in the spaces. The colonial-era restored home that she and her husband own is blessed with deep windowsills. My friend has arranged artful displays in many of the window bays. On either side of the door is a potted succulent plant. When I first knew her in high school, she owned these plants, which were short little plants. Now they are practically the size of d...

The welcoming living room of "Snow White's" country home This post will take some explaining: my first book, The Shadow of the Bear is a modern retelling of the fairy tale "Snow White and Rose Red." It deals with the adventures of two sisters, Blanche (Snow White) and Rose (Rose Red), who live in New York City and befriend a mysterious young man known as "Bear." The book has become a favorite with many young readers, and people have frequently asked me: who are Blanche and Rose based on? Well, both characters are composites of several sisters I have known, but in my mind, the initial inspiration came from two of my friends, who are friends with one another but not sisters. Anyhow, these two girls, the original "Blanche" and "Rose," have grown up, married, and are in the process of raising their families. And both continue to be my friends and inspirations. And both of them have unique home decorating styles, very different but I lo...

In our old house, our girls' room was a tiny narrow room just big enough for the loft bunkbed they slept in. But to brighten up the room, my husband agreed to let them paint a mural on two of the walls. And the girls choose to do a mural of the fairy tale "Snow White and Rose Red." I painted the background for them: mountains, the woods, a castle, the cabin where the story begins. And the girls painted the figures of Snow White, Rose Red, the two princes, and last of all, the mother watering the rosebushes outside of the castle. I believe I painted the bear (one of the enchanted princes) which you can see here outside of the cabin. Notice the fish jumping out of the pond. He's the other enchanted prince. I have to say I was inordinately fond of how the castle turned out. Actually, the whole mural was quite successful: the people who bought out house liked it so much they kept it up. It's still there, last I heard. Next post: "The Homes of Snow White...

I suppose it's safe to say that my favorite fairy tale is the little-known "Snow White and Rose Red," by the Brothers Grimm. And as some of you know, my first book was titled, Snow White and Rose Red: A Modern Fairy Tal e , currently titled The Shadow of the Bear: Snow White and Rose Red Retold. My friends know how fond I am of the story, which has sort of become our family "signature." I've tried to pass some of that on to my children. A few years ago, I gave these dolls to my daughters for Christmas: I had bought them from Nova Natural and christened them "Rose Red" and "Snow White." I had the dolls star a retelling of the Madge Miller version of "Snow White and Rose Red" which can be found here on my website. Last winter, I did some repair work on the dolls and stitched new dresses for them, since my girls are still putting them in weekly play use. And I thought I'd take a picture of the ladies in their dresses, ...

This week we took down our Christmas tree and I packed up the "Joshua Bears" that were donated for this year. But before I sent them to their new home at Be Not Afraid Ministries , I gathered a large bunch for a group photo. Thank you so much for sending them all: it was a joy to have them. I admit that I am not mailing off one sweet little bear sent all the way from England: he has a "2006" embroidered on one foot, the year that Joshua died. I decided to adopt him for my very own, but the others are going to a ministry that helps parents who have received "bad news" about their unborn baby through prenatal testing. As director Monica Rafie writes, "Not all of these moms have fatal diagnoses -- there is, happily, the chance that the bear will be more than a momento! But, of course, some moms will lose their babies and they will cherish the bears - forever and fervently." Each bear I am mailing is going with a tag reading, "Donated in memory...

Polly, like many of our babies, was born with just a touch of jaundice, so today I put her on the window seat to bask in a little bit of mild January sunlight while I rested. It's amazing to me how healing sunlight can be: within the hour, she looked much better. On a side note, I just finished the baby quilt I had made of Liberty of London squares yesterday. Once it was backed with a silk-wool Dharma scarf and filled with lamb's wool, it was delightfully soft, light, and warm. The only completely handsewn quilt I've ever made, it's the perfect winter nest for a newborn.

Paula Kathleen "Polly" born at home December 31, 2007 1:21 AM 8 lbs, 0 oz born hand first (!), reaching out to explore the world already, and with a full head of black hair, a first for us. As usual with newborn pictures, the photo does not do her cuteness justice. Mother and baby are doing well. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! An Explanation of the Names: Paula after St. Paula, friend of St. Jerome and collaborator with him on the Vulgate Translation. Also in honor of the upcoming Year of St. Paul (2008-2009) to be proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI. "Polly" after Lady Polly Plummer of Narnia :) Kathleen after her paternal grandmother. Thanks for all your prayers and good wishes!

Blessed Christmas! I keep hoping that my next post will be a baby post, but I am now two days overdue, and the baby is not yet coming, so I might as well make a Christmas post during the Twelve Days while I wait and quilt and wait... One cherished treasure from my growing-up years was a little porcelain Napcoware Nativity scene which I received for my confirmation. Alas, when my car was broken into during the time I lived in New York City, it was among the things that were stolen. Unlike most of the things from my trunk, though, I really missed this Nativity scene. Then several years ago, I was able to replace the set, thanks to Ebay. So every year I particularly enjoy setting it up on my dresser with different background pieces, and occaisonally showing off a new acquisition (there are approximately eight other figures that could be part of the set which I still don't have - ah, the thrill of the hunt). This year during my pregnancy I was fortunate to receive a "blessing part...

"This is the shortest Advent ever!" one of my girls exclaimed yesterday. I am inclined to agree: due to upheavals in moving rooms around, we couldn't find our Advent calendar or Advent wreath until last week. And while the Advent Calendar is at last in its familiar place, there's no room for our hanging Advent wreath, due to new light fixtures. So we are wreath-less in the fourth week of Advent, a telling sign as to how behind we are. For instance, I meant to post this photo of our St. Lucy's morning breakfast by the fire last week, but only got to it now... I actually had a few other Advent posts I never got to. I will mention how glad I was that I did manage to find our little Lucy doll . We purchased her from Magic Cabin Dolls last year, and she oversaw the holiday table with the help of an overturned pot and some plasti-tak. Our main course was Monkey Bread (eaten too fast to be photographed), which my husband and oldest daughter delight in making. Since my o...

While pondering a few years ago why my children have never seemed to have difficulty understanding that Santa Claus was actually St. Nicholas, I came across this book in our bookshelf, which I had purchased for my oldest son his first Christmas: Country Angel Christmas by Tomie De Paola . Then I realized that perhaps this oversized thin picture book is part of the reason. De Paola is a great storyteller whose greatness does not lie in his consistency. Some of his books, like The Clown of God or Our Lady of Guadalupe , are masterpieces. Others are forgettable fluff. This book, as a story, is somewhat in between, though I think the illustrations are among his best, particularly if you are fond of country-style-simplicity. This lightweight, pleasant story is set in Heaven among the "Country Angels," a homier and humbler brand of angelic being, whose friend is St. Nicholas. Although he is only part of the background, serving as a friendly mentor to the young trio of angelic hero...

Tonight is the night when your children may exhibiting extra-good behavior combined with a sudden rare desire to locate both of their shoes, for tonight is the Eve of St. Nicholas. We found that once you surprise your children with candy in their shoes for the first time, the yearly ritual quickly establishes itself. So, if your family celebrates St. Nicholas day, you as a parent will probably be readying some shoe-sized treats for stealthy delivery late tonight. My typical tradition is to give books, usually from the annual library sale. Here is a picture of last year's toddler shoes. I was lucky with my candy finds: the church bazaar sold candy canes decorated with marshmallow Christmas figures and chocolate cake-lollipops. Also in the shoes was a frosted gingerbread cookie and a jingle-bell bracelet, respectively made by my two oldest girls. This year I'm packing the shoes with discounted lunchboxes from a fall school sale. I just hope I have enough gingerbread cookies!

Last Christmas, I decided to buy my older girls "heirloom quality" dolls, as they were both reaching the age where they can take better care of their playthings. Plus, (deep sigh) I know that my oldest girl's time with dolls is limited as she will pass the age of ten this coming year. I chose Nova Natural's Peruvian-made dolls as their present. The dolls were an investment, but they are still gorgeous, have held up well after a year's worth of playing, and the girls still refer to them affectionately. The problem was that my youngest daughter, age 2, loves the dolls as well, but I wasn't so willing to buy her a 14" doll. First of all, there was the cost: secondly, from a beauty-lover's point of view, a larger doll just doesn't look right being hauled around by a toddler. So I went hunting for a smaller doll. And once again, Nova Natural solved my problem by choosing to introduce the Kusi doll this year. I snuck my doll out of its Christmas wrappin...

You would think that after having six kids, babies would become "old hat." But the paradox is that each sucessive baby becomes more precious. Is it because you recognize how short a time babyhood actually is? I feel as though I spent all my time with my first baby anxiously awaiting milestones: lifting the head, rolling over, crawling, walking... But now, I'm more delighted in the baby just being an infant, small, helpless, utterly adorable. And with every new baby, I try to gather a few things that are special and new just for them. As I prepare for my December 27 due date, here are a few things I'm setting aside: a silk-and-wool infant cap from Nova Natural . It's dreamily soft and finely made. A thrift-store find of a never-used cotton velour sweater in soft green. Also from Nova Natural : a spiral crystal rainbow maker. Hang one of these in the bedroom window and your baby will have rainbows to play with! (I actually was so enchanted with this one th...

Growing up Italian, one part of the fabric of my life which I assumed that everyone else knew about was antipasto , "food served before the pasta." What I knew as antipasto, most Americans refer to as appetizers. But the food that was served before a festive meal at my relatives' homes seldom resembled canapes or stuffed mushrooms, nor was it simply chips and pretzels. I look back on the ritual now and realize that the antipasto course taught me how to serve a feast that didn't revolve around starches and sugars, and how to keep kids from being excessively "sugared up" during holidays. At my mother's home on Thanksgiving Day, eating begins at noon and continues into the night. During the morning, someone (usually my tireless Aunt Pam) spends a few hours cutting up every conceivable kind of raw vegetable and arranging them on a silver platter: zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, celery, bok choy, squash, broccoli, cauliflower. Then at noon the antipasto course...