Meet Kobie 'doll' Roberts

Kobie Roberts doll based on a fictional character
created by Candice Ransom

    I am so excited to be sharing this with you. Just today I finished making this doll, which is based on a book character who I became friends with when I was about ten years old. Kobie Roberts is a student dealing with the all the things that makes being a teenage simply awesome [note the sarcasm] – bullies, trying to fit in, worrying about what others think of her, missing her best friend, face-offs with her mama.

    I loved Kobie [still do really and I look forward to introducing her stories to my own kids]. I thought she was amazing, and I wished Kobie could see how cool she really was when she wasn't trying. Come to think of it, I wish I knew that I was okay just being weirdo-me when I was a teenager too. So I guess this is a common worry for everyone when they are growing up – 'Am I enough? Am I too much?'

    It should come as no surprise then that Kobie Roberts is in part a work of fiction, and also a mirror of Candice Ransom, based on her own experiences and feelings growing up.

    I have based the Kobie doll on her description at the start of Fourteen and Holding. The doll comes with a hand bag [AKA pocket book], and a blue binder [with a 'right things' list]. The doll is made from woven cloth, felt, is sewn and painted. This was a back burner project for such a long while, so I am thrilled to have finally reached this point.

    For everything you need to know about beloved children's lit author Candice Ransom, go here.

Poetic Apron

    I am a lucky girl this week. Why? Because a lovely lady, by the name of Donna, [all the way over in Virginia, US of A] kindly offered to make me an apron. How did this happen, you may ask? Well it's kind of a windy story, but here goes [the short of the long of it]...

Donna is friends with Candice.

I am becoming friends with Candice.

Donna made an apron for Candice.

Candice is proud as punch of her special apron.

Candice blogs about lovely apron.

I see photos of apron - love it!

I leave nice comment about apron.

Donna sees comment and offers to make me an apron.

Apron arrives, now I am wearing the apron.

    Now this is no ordinary apron. It is an apron with mystery - it is a poetry apron. You see there is a special pocket especially sewn for the storage of poems. And when I unfolded my apron it already had a piece of poetry waiting to be read.

    Thank you Donna! The apron is awesome and it brings out my inner country girl.

    When Donna isn't sewing aprons and reading poetry, she is also creating quaint photography with a country and vintage vibe. You can check out her work at:

www.patchworkphotos.com

    And if you'd like to see where this all began, visit Candice's blog:

www.candiceransom.com/honeysucklevine

Should You Be In Richmond, Virginia

    ... Just a quick note to anyone reading my blog, should you be living near Richmond, Virginia, USA or plan to be visiting the place in oh... say... the next twenty four hours, the lovely author, Candice Ransom, will be doing a Saturday book signing for her new book Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World. For more information visit Candice's blog... http://www.candiceransom.com/honeysucklevine/2012/ivas-launch-book-signing/
If you know some book lovers in Virginia be sure to spread the word.

Boondocks, Anyone?

    One of my favourite bloggers, Candice Ransom put me onto this number by Little Big Town. Boondocks is a hometown pride, feel good song. Enjoy ya'll...

Welcome to Iva's World



Photography by Candice Ransom

    The author Candice Ransom, a childhood favourite of mine, is now celebrating the release of her book and cheeky new character - Iva Honeysuckle. The book is called Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World, published by Disney Hyperion.
    Come join the party and help Iva and Candice celebrate the publication of this pretty book... http://www.candiceransom.com/honeysucklevine/2012/publication-day-party/


Photography by Candice Ransom

Because We All Need Encouragement

When I begin to lose faith in myself and by extension my writing, it is important to remember the good things that others have said about me...

Thank you Candice!

Curator At Home

Recently one of my favourite childhood authors, Candice Ransom, inspired me to be a curator in my own home. She wrote a blog entry about having set up a visually artistic ‘themed’ display in her own home [Follow this link to her blog entry].

Over the years I have collected many wonderful pieces, most of which are hidden away in boxes, just waiting to see the light of day. These are the sort of treasures I promised myself would eventually come out once I had something appropriate to display them on. Of course, time passes by and these lovely little pieces continue to lurk away under the house or in cupboards. So after reading Candice’s blog I just thought ‘enough’s enough’. It is time for some positive action.

The first step toward being my own curator was to pull out my old embroidered badges from childhood and to be placed in a frame. Most of these badges were souvenirs of places I have visited or lived in Australia. One of the badges is something my Dad received as part of his war game training back when he worked for the Royal Australian Air Force. And what badge collection is complete without my own achievements in roller-skating — my highest rating was three stars. I am very proud of these stars.

Candice, Kobie & Me

When I was about age ten, I was given the book Fourteen and Holding, written by Candice Ransom. It was my first teen book, and it was an absolute hit — being about Kobie Roberts, a young teen coping with family, friends, bullies and herself. The book now looks quite pounded because I read it over and over, so many times. Then when I was twelve, I was allowed to order through book club the follow up book Fifteen At Last. I was so excited about reading the continuing adventures of Kobie.

The author, Candice Ransom has written more than a hundred children's books. That is amazing to me, as I am someone who struggles just to finish short stories, or write even a single coherent blog entry. :)

I highly recommend visiting Candice's website, which is filled with lovely, interesting details about the author:

http://www.candiceransom.com/

And it is only natural, being that Candice is a writer, that she keeps a blog:

http://candice-ransom.livejournal.com/

…

Thank you Candice, for your lovely response to my email.