It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

So far, six small wreathes, one large wreath, eight kissing balls, three outdoor trees...

Storytelling at the Marketplace

Tomie read stories this afternoon in the Marketplace at Marklin Candle Design in Contoocook, New Hampshire. The Marketplace is full of candles (including candle designs by Tomie), books, ornaments, clothes, Simon Pearce glassware, and extraordinary gifts (fair trade items to crafts by local artisans). Tomie wasn't able to sign books because of his carpal tunnel surgery, but he wanted to read at the Marketplace for his good friends, Christine and Martin Marklin and their children. (You can always double-click on the photo to get a better look.)

The Marketplace at Marklin Candle Design
28 Riverside Drive
Contoocook, NH 03229
603-746-5442

The Church of Tomie dePaola

A semi-trailer truck stopped at the end of the driveway today. The driver went to the mailbox to look at the number on the mailbox to make certain he had stopped at the correct address. He needed to deliver 12 boxes of six-day devotional candles (i.e. 144 devotional candles). He assumed he was delivering to a church, and he found the name of the church on the delivery slip, "Tomie dePaola," to be an unusual name for a church. He had only delivered large quantities of candles to churches in the past.

I almost told the driver, "Well, we all worship Tomie."

Truth is that Tomie likes and uses a lot of candles... A LOT of candles.

You Can Never Have Too Many Rice Cookers

The UPS man delivered today a new rice cooker for Tomie. I believe this is Tomie's fifth rice cooker. He now has a total of four rice cookers. (One of the five was sold at the last yard sale.)

Tomie disagrees with the article "20 Most Worthless Pieces of Junk: #20 - The Rice Cooker."

www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/11/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-20-the-rice-cooker/

I Remember the Days...

Arsema is a student at Rippon Middle School in Woodbridge, Virginia: Your books send great messages to children in a magical fairy tale way. The way you like to send positive messages in your poems that is easy for kids to understand is very unique. Every time I read STREGA NONA I remember the days in first grade when my teacher would read it to the whole class. My teacher would always have to turn the pages a little bit slower when we were reading one of your books because we would always want to admire your illustrations.

Tomie: Thanks for taking the time out of your busy middle school life to write such a kind note.

A New Carickter

Damion is in Class D at the Nashua Children's Home in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Artwork From the '60s

Isabella goes to St. Paul School in Hingham, Massachusetts. She wrote to me when she was in the fifth grade. I told her that she might want to visit the Glastonbury Abbey, also in Hingham, to see some of my artwork created in the '60s.

I designed a crucifix for the chapel, and painted the side not in relief. I painted a mural of St. Benedict for the chapel, and Stations of the Cross for the chapel.

I also created three murals for the refectory.

You can get a visual sense of the artwork by going to the Glastonbury Abbey website.
www.glastonburyabbey.org
Click "Gallery."
Photo #4 shows a bit of the crucifix.
Photos #6, 7 and 9 show some of the Stations of the Cross.
Photos #11 and 26 give a sense of the murals in the refectory.

Jennie and Her Boys

Jennie in Clarence Center, New York, is the mother of six-year-old Jake and younger son Tom. During a weekend in October, the three of them went to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art to see the exhibition of Tomie's artwork.

Jennie: We went specifically to see your exhibit, and we were certainly not disappointed. Jake has been a fan of yours for the last few years, and he was beside himself when we turned the corner of the gallery and came face to face with the photograph of you and your dog in the convertible. "Look, Mom! There he is!" he nearly shouted... To spend this weekend with my boys in an art museum and talking about books was one of the best experiences I've ever had with them. This is just to say thanks for being such a bright and wonderful part of the world.

Tomie: I'm glad I could be a small part of Mom-time with your boys.

Goose Creek AIMS!

A continuous banner of nearly 300 Happy Birthday greetings was sent by the Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet School (AIMS) in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Tomie: Thanks HHAIMS!

Love Pasta

Double-click to get a better look at the poster.
Mrs. Green's second grade class at Britton Elementary in Hilliard, Ohio, sent a birthday poster, a wooden folk art heart and a plush bone toy (for Bronte).

Strega Nona is singing:
Bubble, bubble, pasta pot,
It's Tomie dePaola's birthday so make him lots.
He's special and it's time to share.
Boil enough love to show him we care.

Tomie: Very sweet.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Thy Branches Are So Purple?!

Kathleen, of Oak Park, Illinois, drew the purple Christmas tree, hearts and ice cream cone when she was four years old. I think my friend Barney would like the tree.

The Mysterious Zeek

Alyssa (the artist) and her third grade classmates in Mrs. Berg's class at Claywell Elementary in Tampa, Florida, sent birthday cards.

Many of the students mentioned "Zeek" in their notes. Natalie: I bet that Zeek is in your house right now finger painting on your walls.

Tomie: If he is, Zeek is in a heap of trouble. Who IS Zeek?

The Power of a Crocodile and His Toothbrush

Cristina and Lisa live in Greater Dublin or Greater Columbus, Ohio. When Christina was in second grade (in the '90s), Tomie visited her school, and her classroom read BILL AND PETE GO DOWN THE NILE.

A couple of months ago (in 2009) Cristina left Ohio to pursue a Masters of Philosophy in Egyptology at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Lisa (Cristina's mother): I send this as a thanks for introducing her to the rich heritage of Egyptian history and exposing children of the world to things otherwise unknown, for without your book, it's doubtless she would have the love of all things Egyptian that she has today.

Tomie: I'm speechless. Thank you for your note.