CHCS to present ‘Superhero’ musical

By Deanna Roux

Josh Guerraz, co-writer of the original musical that will be on stage at the Belchertown High School this weekend, started playing guitar at six years old. “My uncle taught me. He couldn’t read music, but he taught me chords and things like that. Then I started getting books as gifts and I ended up figuring it out. I taught myself how to read music and as I got older I started playing guitar in the school jazz band,” said Guerraz.

A JAZZY EDUCATION
During high school Guerraz realized he wanted to play music for a living. He attended Western Connecticut State University and majored in jazz performance. “In college I got really big into music composition and arranging. When I graduated, I taught guitar lessons as a private teacher. As I continued with that, it sort of propelled me into getting more into education. Then I went back to school to earn a master’s degree, which I’m working on right now,” said Guerraz.

STARVING ARTIST SYNDROME
Guerraz’s main goal during school was to simply play music, but the real world of the starving artist put things into perspective. “If you asked me ten years ago [at twenty] what I would be doing in ten years, I would have said, ‘Oh, I’ll be playing on 52nd street in New York City.’ I wanted to be a full-time musician,” Guerraz said. “As I graduated, I got a reality check. That’s why I’m so glad I had education to fall back on, because I can make a living and still play in bands.”

NOW EVERYBODY TANGO
“Perfectly Normal: The Superhero Musical” was written in about three weeks time last summer. Guerraz teamed up with fellow Chestnut Hill Community School (CHCS) teacher, Steve Walkowicz. Walkowicz wrote the play and the lyrics, and Guerraz wrote the melodies. “There are six original songs. I wanted to expose kids to different styles of music they never played before,” Guerraz said, “So if you notice, there’s a reggae, there’s a tango, there’s an old R-and-B church style, a fast fifties style, and a ballad.”

PIT BAND TALENT
The pit band is composed of all sixth-graders, with the exception of one fifth-grader. The audition process began right away when school started in September. Of the 30 or so kids who tried out, about 20 of them made it into the band. “We have four clarinets, four alto sax, a baritone sax, a trumpet, a trombone, three pianos, two guitars, two drums, and three flutes. I’d say about 90 percent of the pit band is in the school band,” explained Guerraz, “Most of these kids just started playing their instruments. My [main] piano just started playing over the summer.”

The mutual respect and admiration between teacher and student is apparent at rehearsals. The kids may get a little loud and Mr. G., as he is referred to, lets them know with authority that they’re there to work. The rapport they share allows for work in the classroom and a high-five in the hallway.

“All of my pit bands before this were at the high school level. Last year was the first year I had a pit band this young. I was blown away with the talent,” said Guerraz, “Many of those kids are in the pit band this year and they’re better than some of the high school bands I’ve worked with. They’re dedicated; and this is tough music!”


Pit band members Jaclyn Symiakakis, clarinet; Alice Langlois, clarinet; and Joseph Brozek, trumpet,take a short break from some hard work.

WE HAVE A WINNER
Pit band member, Alice Langlois (pictured above, center), plays clarinet. However, her musical creative outlet doesn’t end there. Langlois entered the play’s contest to come up with the best logo. She started her idea with the Superman emblem, but changed the “S” into a G-cleft. She added the silhouettes of the superheroes and the winning entry was born. Her winning logo is featured on the commemorative t-shirt. “I was just really excited,” Langlois said, “When they announced my name and that I won, everyone in my class clapped for me.”

LOCAL COVERAGE
The original musical has caught the attention of Belchertown’s local cable channel, BCTV (channel 5). They’re producing a "Behind the Scenes" look at the making of the play. “We've had a team of students shooting film for two weeks and the results have been sent to BCTV for editing,” Walkowicz explained. “The final product will air on BCTV during play week and will help us, we hope, promote the performances.”

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
There will be two 7pm performances on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28. Tickets are selling fast. Information is on display at Stop-N-Shop, the Town Hall, the Clapp Memorial Library, and in the lobby at CHCS. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. For more ticket information, e-mail Steve Walkowicz at swalkowicz@yahoo.com.

New Journey

New Blog

When you go through a difficult change or a major challenge in life, writing about it often presents things in a more clear and honest way. Well, for me anyway.

I am going through a big change in my life. I've been struggling for many years to overcome what I perceive to be the only problem in my life - my weight.

My new blog will track my journey and help keep me committed, accountable and honest with myself.

I welcome comments, support and sharing on my new blog. I have a top ten list, a link list and a poll. And I have cookies! Just kidding. But it is pretty sweet looking.

Stop by, if you like.

Vintage Shopping Bag

Just because you don't always get what you expect, doesn't mean you won't love what you get.

The other day I took a drive down to Conn. in search of a guaranteed find at a bargain price. Is that what I found? Well, kinda.

Rewind about two years (ish). My mom and I are at the Brimfield Antique Market (click image to the left to learn more) in, you guessed it, Brimfield, Mass. and we are on a quest: find vintage buttons to add to my (then small) collection. Here's why.

First, let me tell you that if I am in search of anything, my mother is the one I want to take with - she will uncover every nook and cranny like she's searching out my heart transplant donor. Plus, she will get the price that is fair - with just a raise of the eyebrow. AND you cannot find a better support system. Yeah, momma's got my back.

So there we are in the midst of thousands of dealers on twenty different fields, all lining a one-mile stretch of Route 20. We park down this long alley, pay our five-dollar parking fee and get out of the car. We pass the port-a-potties and head straight to the first pavilion. Behind the very first case we see is standing a friendly, chatty woman. I ask if she has any buttons and there began my serious quest for antique buttons. She whipped out tons of special beauties - metals, glass, mother of pearl, ceramics - you name it, she had it. I picked out my favorites and I walked away with a happy little bag full for 20 bucks.

On this day we visited a permanent building that I had been to once before (months earlier when I dragged my helpful children to join my search - but that's a story for a different day). This place is called the Brimfield Antique Market. Straight through the door, hang a left at the back wall, down several feet and there lies the mother lode of all mother lodes. I picked but didn't buy much there because I was out of cash. But I vowed to be back.

So fast-forward a few months. I go to the spot of the mother lode and to my horror, mother lode has packed up and left town! What a disappointment. The woman working there, who probably sensed I was on the verge of tears, was kind enough to give me the name and number of the owner of the mother lode - a.k.a. "the button guy."

I got in my car and called the button guy right away. I felt like I was on a drug quest - I needed to gain access to those buttons! The button guy had moved his stuff to a new location - the Vintage Shop in Conn. - his own shop. Whew.

So this week I finally made it down there and was surprised to learn that not all of the buttons had made it. He said he has more in storage and I'm convinced those are the ones I came to see. Well, I browsed around anyway and I found some very interesting collectibles.

(click image to enlarge)

• Two silver button hooks that were used in the late 1800s to early 1900s for buttoning up items with many small buttons - womens' garments and boots.


• A hand-carved bone hair pick/hair stick/hair pin - something like that - ca. 1800s - I'll have to do more research on this item.


• A pair of large green celluloid buttons - they almost look like carved wood. I think these are from the early 1900s.


• A bunch of small carved mother of pearl buttons with a purple tint added - gorgeous!


• Some glass buttons from the turn of the century - they actually look like they may be mother of pearl.


• Three different sizes of mother of pearl whistle buttons from the same time period.Whistle buttons have one hole on one side and two holes on the other.


• And some snap cuff links from the 1920s-1930s - never saw these before and had to Google them to confirm my suspicion - art deco era.

There are some other items too: a pair of resin covered golfers, more mother of pearl finds, some hefty wooden buttons, a couple brass beauties and a tiny 4-H pin that I found cute.


My favorite? The snap cuff links - because they're new and interesting to me. I searched them out online and found similar pairs going for upwards of $50 - wow.


So, how much did I drop? A measly 15 bucks. I got an excellent deal and the "button guy" has definitely found himself a return customer - even if he didn't have what I was expecting to find.

Perfectly Normal: The Superhero Musical Hits the Stage in March

by Deanna Roux

Two Chestnut Hill Community School teachers, Steve Walkowicz and Josh Guerraz, teamed up last summer to write an original play called “Perfectly Normal: The Superhero Musical.” At the end March, all their hard work - and the hard work of 100-plus students, teachers and parents - will be presented on stage in two performances at Belchertown High School.

“We had to write a play that involved fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders. It had to be kid-oriented with a lot of speaking parts,” Walkowicz said, “We had about five rewrites. It was like a summer job,” he laughed.

Josh Guerraz, Music Teacher,
rehearses with the "Super Chorus"
Guerraz, music teacher and life-long musician, wrote all the original music for the play and Walkowicz, sixth-grade math teacher, wrote all the lyrics, as well as the play itself. All the acting, singing and musical instruments are performed by the students. “We have six original songs in it and there are eight scenes. At times, we’ll have 100 kids singing on stage,” Walkowicz said.

This isn’t the first play the two have produced. “In the last two years we spoofed High School Musical and we called it ‘Elementary School Musical.’ So we rewrote the songs and it was really successful,” Walkowicz explained, “The kids loved it. We saw that kids really aren’t afraid to sing. Maybe it’s the American idolization of kids,” he added. This year the two decided to write their own musical to avoid costly fees incurred by copyrighted material.

“Perfectly Normal: The Superhero Musical” is the story of a fictional country that segregates all of the super heroes. They live in a camp called Super City. “The superheroes are obviously not too happy about this so they come up with the idea of inviting a perfectly normal family to live with them to show that perfectly normal people can live side by side with super heroes.” Walkowicz explained.

The play centers on this “normal” family and how hard it is for them to blend in with the super heroes. “It’s all about fitting in and what it feels like when you don’t fit in. It’s also about equality,” said Walkowicz, “It’s supposed to be funny - that’s what we try for - but it also has a serious side to it.”

In addition to the speaking parts, the show boasts over 50 cast members in a Super Chorus which sings throughout the musical. With the help of one of the teachers, they design their own super hero costume, write their autobiography and essentially create their own character.

To help pay for the play, the kids paid $15 to participate. So far, that fee has paid for cast t-shirts and part of it will go toward the background scenery. Ticket sales will fund things like lights, sound, and janitorial services. “The program will feature small ads bought by moms and dads. It’s all self-sufficient. There’s no money from the school and we didn’t get any grants because we started kind of late, but we’re learning what to do for next time,” Walkowicz said.

Walkowicz admits that it’s challenging to get through a 100-person rehearsal, but adds, “Five minutes after it’s over I always feel good about how much fun it was and how charged up the kids are.”

There will be two 7 pm performances on Friday, March 27th and Saturday, March 28th. Tickets are on sale now and cost $5 each ($3 for students and senior citizens). For more information, e-mail Steve Walkowicz.

Journey to the Bottom of the C, as in Clergy

By Deanna Roux

I’m the type of person who likes to go to a movie without knowing too much about it. I like to be taken on a journey of sorts. When I interviewed 14 members of the clergy over the last year, I enjoyed every twist and turn. I was not afraid or intimidated; rather, I was excited and interested about what I was about to learn. Judging from my past life as a corporate writer, I knew that pastors, like executives, put their pants on the same way we all do - one leg at a time. I also knew that “what they do” is not nearly as revealing as “who they are.” For me, digging into one’s character is far more interesting to write about - and to read about.

It turns out the journey makes the person, which in turn makes the story. I have to credit, and thank, the 14 men I sat down with who graciously peeled away their layers to expose their journey to me. After meticulously quizzing these men and writing honestly about their lives, I thought it was fitting to share my journey as well.

THE JOURNEY

It seems to me we’re all on some sort of journey. We all have our own paths to forge, opinions to form, and crosses to bear. At times, life may seem like a series of random events, but I’ve always held the belief that things happen for a reason. I used to think that was my way of getting through the tough times. You know, “That which doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.” It is true; it’s just that now I know God has been there throughout my life, guiding me and giving me strength.

I grew up in a (mostly) non-practicing Catholic home. My two older sisters and I were baptized and we made our first communion. After that, we’d go to church only when we visited our grandparents. We would walk to mass with my grandmother after an early supper. I’m sure I looked very confused by all the standing, kneeling, singing, reciting and such. I tried to follow along. Going forward, I didn’t really have that much to do with my religion, except for the occasional wedding and funeral. That’s not to say I didn’t think about God or talk to God.

In my early twenties, I moved to Atlanta and began to attend mass with two of my girlfriends. They were sisters I knew from back home, who grew up in a very large Irish Catholic family. They helped me feel comfortable in the church. I felt a sense of belonging and community, which was important to me, especially being 1,080 miles away from my family. The sisters and I would have many conversations about God and His ways.

When my sisters were married, for personal reasons, they both chose an Episcopalian (non-denominational) minister to preside over their ceremonies. So when it came time for my wedding, I planned to go the same route; until my mother asked me, “Why do you want to get married in the Episcopal Church?” Of course, my answer was, “Because that’s where my sisters were married.” My mom opened my mind to the possibility of choosing the Catholic Church and that’s what I ended up doing. One question changed my spiritual journey.

A short time later my marriage ended and I still had a baby son who needed to be baptized. That brought me back to the church - for a short time. Around the same time my oldest sister, on her own religious journey, was attending RCIA sessions. RCIA stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. In short, you learn more about your religion in order to make the necessary sacraments (she made her confirmation) to be in good standing with the church. She suggested I may want to do the same. I was suddenly a single mother trying to make ends meet on a 10-hour work-week - essentially working for health care insurance; RCIA was not a priority for me. But God was. I spoke to him frequently.

Next, my journey took me to a new relationship; a divorced Catholic man. We decided to have our wedding and our reception in a hotel. It was beautiful and we were happy. God gave my son and me a special gift and now He was about to give us all another - a baby girl. So again, a new baby sent me to the church. Now, many people might be thinking, “How convenient; you need something from the church so you go back.” I present a different view: that was my journey; it was meant to be. Many stages of my life have brought me back to the church. It’s God’s way of not giving up on me.

The impending birth of our daughter caused some huge turning points in our lives. We began attending mass every weekend. I opted to go through the RCIA process (several years after my sister suggested it) and finally made my confirmation. My husband and I received annulments, had our marriage blessed in the church and our baby girl was baptized. When my son (who was adopted by my husband after our wedding) made his first communion, it seemed like everything came full circle. We currently participate in religious education and our daughter will be making her first communion this spring. I look forward to seeing how the future will continue to shape our spiritual journey.

THE CALL

Interviewing priests, pastors and ministers has further enriched my religious journey. Talking about the reasons one becomes a pastor is quite interesting. But what I find even more intriguing is the journey they describe. Not all pastors wanted to become pastors. Some were actually very much against the idea. Some felt a calling. Some heard a calling. Some ignored a calling (for a period of time). Others felt it was more of a natural progression.

THE THEATER

The “theater of the divine,” as termed by Father Vern of St. Francis, seemed to be a common thread as many pastors had a serious interest in the big stage.

Todd of UCC Belchertown wrote an adaptation of a 1940s radio show for a Christmas performance that benefited the town fuel assistance fund; Rabbi Bauer of the JCA (pictured at left) was an opera director for 15 years prior to his current position; and Pastor Bruce of Hope United Methodist Church has a puppet ministry, performing part of his sermon to the kids as a bear from Maine named Portland.


THE RELATIONSHIP

The nearly universal concern shared by pastors is the need for individuals to enjoy a relationship with God. Most felt it didn’t matter where - their church or a church down the street - but having a spiritual relationship with God was more important than the actual religion. Pastor Dale from the Christ Life Fellowship (pictured with his wife and co-minister Fran) suggests religion is not even necessary. He said, “God doesn’t care about what religion you are; he only cares about what’s in your heart.”

THE ANOMALY

Coming from a Catholic background, and never having considered changing my religion, I was surprised to learn many pastors were not born into their religion and some didn’t even have a religious upbringing at all. More interesting, were the churches where what brought the people together was not necessarily their religion, but rather a sense of true acceptance. At the Assembly of God in Wilbraham, Pastor Brian Tracy (pictured at left) shared a surprising anomaly: they have many more attendees on a Sunday (about 325) than they do actual members (189). He cited the reason as “specifically reaching out to people in the community who aren’t of faith.”

THE CHALLENGES

Most pastors (Pastor Tracy excluded) were concerned about the number of members attending services versus the number of members on record. In other words, many have aligned themselves with a church, but far fewer actually participate on a regular basis. Most pastors with this concern had programs in place to help bring members back to the church community. At Immaculate Heart of Mary in Granby, Father Benoit’s congregation holds “town meetings” to help address the concerns of the people in order to attempt to fix the perceived problems. Father Vern of St. Francis (pictured at right - and my priest) implemented a post card campaign - a series of post cards sent to all members to bring awareness to the effects on the church when all members do not actively participate.

In doing this series, it is my hope that the reader has been taken on a revealing ride that shined a light in the shadows of their own spiritual journey. Where your life’s journey has taken you may not always be evident. Taking a step back in reflection may help reveal an otherwise hidden path. I would have to agree with the majority of the clergy I spoke with and say, choosing a relationship with God - in any small way you can muster - can and will improve your quality of life. I’m living proof.

My Gentle Reminder

I hate the bitter cold. I hate being cold. I can't stand driving in the snow. I don't like how others drive in the snow. I'm not a huge fan of removing snow. I hate slick stairs and walkways. I don't like snow days because my kids have to stay in school while summer is starting without us.

When I was a child, my family lived in California for a few years. It never snowed. I don't recall being cold. I remember the ocean and the tide pools and the sun. I remember sun dresses and bare feet and vegetable gardens.

In the 90s I lived in Atlanta for five years and it snowed once the whole time I was there (one time too many). The whole town was at a stand still. They have no plows, no salt - not prepared at all (not that they should be - it is HotLanta after all). Trees in the Georgia clay were uprooted and fell over. Branches literally covered the streets. Random do-gooders were out in full force brandishing echoing chain saws. It was like a natural disaster had occurred.

The one (and only) thing I love about this time of year is the visual beauty. When the snow gently covers the dark bare trees, and it throws a soft blanket over the dormant grass, and a vibrant Cardinal floats through a sea of white and tucks down into the woody brush - it makes me smile.

The view from my house is hilly and woodsy. Our house is on a street that runs north/south so the sun rises in the front and sets in the back. This time of year, the sunset is a mix of oranges and pinks. I've tried to capture it many times, but a photo cannot really do it justice.

These photos are from December 10, 2005 - a friend took them from our back yard with his fancy camera.


And the following are my attempt at capturing our backyard beauty with my far inferior camera. I took these December 28, 2008 at 4:45 pm - it was actually very dark outside.




Yesterday, while coming home from a long day of shopping - in and out of the wind and cold - I was getting on the turn pike when a hefty hawk swooped in and landed on a heavy branch in front of me. I got a good long look at him and he reminded me that I can be happy - no matter the temperature.

God's beauty is there every day of the year, it just takes a little effort on my part to see it - in spite of the winter forecast.

Fan Promotion

ON FACEBOOK

Visit my Facebook store, become a fan and you could win this pendant.

All those who "become a fan" of Fancy Free Jewelry Design on Facebook will be added to a drawing. The last day to enter the drawing is April 30, 2009. The drawing will be held May 1, 2009.

Becoming a fan is easy. Follow this link and choose "become a fan" on the top right-hand side of the page.

Sakura Glass Slide Pendant

The cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan. Samurai warriors were fond of cherry blossoms. The short life of the cherry blossom mirrored their duty to die for their master at a moment’s notice. In 1910 the Japanese sent cherry trees to Washington, D.C. as a token of goodwill and friendship. In 1952 America sent cherry trees back to Japan to replenish their collection following World War II. Sakura means cherry blossom or cherry tree (pronounced: sah koo rah).

I take a microscope slide, slice it in half, fit it with art, wrap it in foil tape, solder around the edges and complete it with sterling findings and a gemstone dangle. It measures 1" x 1.5".

God's Work

IS ALWAYS AMAZING...

This video tells the story of Harmony Outreach in co-founder John Bentley's own words. If it doesn't tug at your heart, I'm not sure what will.



In 2008, we sponsored sweet little Helen from Harmony Outreach's deaf school by making and selling our "Hope Is Not Lost" bracelet. The bracelet is named after baby Hope, who we helped raise funds for in 2007 (the year we began working with Harmony Outreach) so she could have her needed heart surgery.

We will continue to support Helen until she graduates from the deaf school.

Thank you to all of you who have supported our efforts to help these wonderful children!!

Remember the Charleston: A New Antique Shop

As published in The Sentinel 12/18/08

By Deanna Roux

After over 40 years of traveling, collecting antiques and doing auctions and flea markets, Paul and Mary Tetreault opened the Charleston Shop on North Main Street in Belchertown (across the street from McCarthy’s Pub). The store opened this past July and only a couple of months later, Paul passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

Mary decided to keep the shop open and is holding down the fort with the help of her daughters and her aunt. She say’s her experience in Belchertown has been a good one. “The people here are so good,” she said. “I was working here the day after he died. A woman came in and she saw I was upset. I told her I had just buried my husband the day before. She gave me a big hug and told me her name was Mary. About a week later she left me a gift. It was a big white flower with a black background that read “light.” I thought it was a Georgia O’Keefe but it was her own work - she’s a photographer. That just shows you the kind of people that are here in Belchertown. It’s such a nice place to have a shop.”

Over the years, the pair have stockpiled furniture, collector’s items (records, stamps, cards, etc.), tools, ringer washers, organs, wood stoves, windows, doors and all kinds of knobs and gadgets from just about every state in the south. “We are like the General Store of the twenties,” Tetreault said “minus the food.”

Tetreault encourages people to come look and come ask. “If I don’t have it here, I can get it,” she said. “We have a lot of things in storage so whenever we sell something, I’ll bring in some more. So the inventory is always changing.”

Also available are used furniture, building supplies, and wood. Prices are reasonable and usually negotiable. The shop is currently open Friday and Saturday, 9am - 4pm or by appointment by calling 413-512-1373. They will expand their hours in the spring by opening on Thursdays as well.

Check out the Birthday Bunch

ETSIANS WHO SHARE A BIRTHDAY

Hey check this out. It's kind of interesting to see how many people have joined Etsy in the past year. There are, I think, tens of thousands of Etsy shop owners, but here you can see the increase of the past year by looking at one day - December 11 - my birthday.

Last year, there were 147 Etsians who shared the day.


This year there are 378 who have my birthday in common - that's about 2.5 times as many.


Can you find me in both images? What about others? Not everyone keeps the same 'avatar' consistently, the little image that represents them in their shop and in forums, etc. How many Etsians can you find that are in both images?


Happy birthday to you December 11 babies - hope you get lots of love today!

Check out the full list ...right here. When you get there, move your mouse around and sprinkle some love down on us!

Note: these images represent the first 100 of each group.

Treasure-trove of PMC

LOOK AT ALL THE GORGEOUS FINE SILVER WORKS

Today a fellow-Etsian sent me a note saying she put me in her treasury. A treasury on Etsy is a place where you can pick your favorite handmade works and display them in a neat little grid. I guess it gives those featured a little more exposure but it also allows the treasury creator to play curator. It's fun to curate, to be featured, and to browse!


Can you find my design?
(click on image to enlarge)

I hope you will consider shopping at Etsy this holiday and buy handmade!

Well dip me in wax and call me a candle!

NO, REALLY...

For years, my kids have dipped wax blanks into colored wax to "make" their own candles at a local candle factory. We go to Yankee Candle at least once a year ... because that's where Santa and his elves have their workshop. If we're lucky we can catch Santa in his parlor so we can chat and share a special list.

I guess most people are familiar with Yankee Candle, as they are in hundreds of stores across the country. But I've been visiting the flagship location in Deerfield, Mass. since I was a kid.

At the Yankee Candle flagship you can buy all sorts of things: kitchen decor, bath accessories, Christmas ornaments, fudge, nutcrackers, toys, soaps, oh and even candles.

You can walk through the Black Forest and enjoy a light snow fall (every twenty minutes), and wander through the Bavarian village to witness a "live" bluegrass band up on stage. Or make your way to the Nutcracker Castle by way of the courtyard and enjoy the waterfall and coy pond.

Chloe's 'love', my 'peace', and Brendon's 'howdy'

This year, we (my kids, a friend, and my mom) found a new and exciting Yankee Candle feature. For five dollars you can make a sculpture of your hand in any position you desire (no, the center digit is not allowed). And hey, what can provide a more bonding experience than dipping your hands in hot wax?

But even if you don't spend a dime, you will leave with one very impressive gift ... the Christmas spirit. Well, that and time well spent with the children!

What Does Peace Look Like?

YOU DECIDE

Everyone just wants a little peace, right? Moms want "peace and quiet." Dads want "peace of mind." Our little children want "peace on earth." Our big kids are "peace out."

Like me, on Sunday, you may offer a sign of peace with an out-reached hand and smiling eyes. Also like me, you may display a sign of peace for all to see.

I have a peace sign on the back window of my car. And I have a t-shirt with a simply stated peace sign on the front.

Recently I made a small "peace sign" collection. The first piece was for my son - a peace sign bracelet cuff - with "pax" (Latin for peace) and the peace kanji (Japanese symbol) stitched into the suede.

Here, I offer several options to help you express your interpretation of what peace looks like. Which one suits you best?

Elegant Peace Bracelet

Bulky Peace Cuff

Slick Peace Belt

Simple Peace Earrings

Wired Peace Earrings

Funky Peace Choker

Funky Peace Bracelet

LESSONS IN PEACE (from Wikipedia)

This forked symbol was adopted as its badge by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in Britain, and originally, its use was confined to supporters of that organization. It was later generalized to become an icon of the 1960s anti-war movement, and was also adopted by the counterculture of the time. It was designed and completed February 21, 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a commercial designer and artist in Britain. He had been commissioned by the CND to design a symbol for use at an Easter march to Canterbury Cathedral in protest against the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in England.

The symbol itself is a combination of the semaphoric signals for the letters "N" and "D," standing for Nuclear Disarmament. In semaphore the letter "N" is formed by a person holding two flags in an upside-down "V," and the letter "D" is formed by holding one flag pointed straight up and the other pointed straight down. These two signals imposed over each other form the shape of the peace symbol. In the original design the lines widened at the edge of the circle.

NATURE'S SHOW

A poem by Deanna Roux


they come down
like rain
colorful drops

like butterflies
floating
to the ground

light and busy
wind carries
crab-walk by

lovely turns
messy and soaked
don't slip

branches void
vibrant dulls
crunch underfoot

nature's show
closing act
rakes and piles

crispy air
frosty blades
sequel soon

Mud Spun Arts & Music Festival

Columbus Day Weekend – Sun., Oct. 12 – 11am – 5pm

Mud Spun Arts Center, Belchertown’s newest art attraction, is drumming up attention for some local flavors in art, music and food.

Join the fun on Sunday, October 12 from 11am to 5pm. This free festival will be held rain or shine in the front parking lot at the Swift River Commons on Daniel Shays Highway (Route 202).

ART

Come for the art! See favorite local artists’ newest collections and even try your hand in making some art of your own.


LIVE MUSIC

Come for the free live music by in-demand local bands that will put a smile on your face.

Wild-Wood at 2pm - A Northampton band with stunning vocal harmonies, swampy soul, and acoustic wooden instruments melding into a country/folk/pop experience you won’t soon forget. Check them out at here.

Lonesome Brothers at 3pm - Original, creative, pumping, swaying, digging, rocking, blues busting, curve making, straight shooting songs and solos distinguish the Lonesome Brothers from any other band you've ever heard. Check them out here.

FOOD

Come for the delicious hearty food served up by Belchertown’s own Roadhouse Café, including some vegetarian options. When you think Roadhouse Café, think local farmers, fresh ingredients, organic produce, seasonal dishes and fair trade coffee. Think yum.

MUD SPUN ART CLASSES

Mud Spun Arts Center offers classes in clay, jewelry and glass. Fall classes are filling up, so contact Becky Laliberte (413-530-8883) to secure your spot now – or go to www.mudspunartscenter.com to learn more.

Cooking Up My Creations

THE PMC PROCESS

You are invited to take short tour of my studio, where I will share with you how I create my Precious Metal Clay (PMC) jewelry.

Click the photo above to begin the photo tour.

Precious Metal Clay goes by several names: PMC, fine silver, pure silver, art clay - to name a few. I call it PMC because it's just quicker to say.

When finished, PMC is 99.9% pure silver. And you can do so much with it - the possibilities are endless!

To learn more about PMC, click here.

Ice Cream Cones or Boobies?

BIRTHDAY GOODIES

How many birthdays do you have? I have one. I think most people have one. But somehow my kids seem to get to celebrate their birthdays two...three times...or more!

Well first, the day of their birthday they get to pick where they want to go for dinner. Like Brendon picked Chili's where we ate too much and they sang him a funny birthday song.

Then there's the classroom birthday celebration. Brendon's too old for that now (thankfully) but Chloe's teacher is ALL organized and she asked to celebrate Chloe's classroom birthday on the 25th. Thus, the goodies.

So Chloe and I made cupcakes inside of ice cream cones, which when frosted with a candy placed on top resembles a real ice cream cone - but it's a cupcake. Cute, right?

When I took pictures of the classroom goodies, I quickly realized they looked like a tray full of boobies. It may be that they don't really look like boobies and the people in this house have some weird obsession with boobies.

Like the time when I blew up some pink balloons for little girl's birthday party - they just kept popping half way blown. So I made them small. But the ends wouldn't expand and stayed a darker pink (nipple-esque). Basically I was decorating the room with a bunch of D-cups.

Getting back to the myriad party/celebrations. Sometimes there's a family party AND a friend party. If I'm feeling particularly ambitious, we may combine both kids and family/friends. Like one year when we had about 50 people in our back yard.

Both our kids have their birthday in September (21st and 28th) - one week apart. So we try to combine them as much as possible, which doesn't always work out. This year, Brendon worked with me on his birthday so we're having one family party on Chloe's day to celebrate both kids birthdays.

Plus, many people in our lives have birthdays in September: my sister is the 15th, my father in law is the 25th (shoot, that's tomorrow!), Chloe's good friend next door was earlier in the month, one of Brendon's good friends is the 26th, and I know there's more I'm not thinking of right now. (Oh, and Happy B-day to my friend Dan Lam today!)

So if you have a birthday this month, welcome to the club. Your booby cupcakes will be on their way, just as soon as I finish blowing up a fresh pair of pink puppies.

stART on the Street

THE BEST STREET FEST EVER IS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

Click on the image to the left to find out more about stART on the Street. You can even buy stickers, tote bags and the like with this image to show your support of the arts!

Last September was the first stART event in which I participated. Having had quite some experience in doing shows, I was very impressed. I highly recommend attending the streetfest - as an artist and as an attendee.

Top 10 reasons I loved doing stART on the Street last September (in no particular order):

1. Perfect time of year - sunny but not too hot
   
2. Volunteers were super organized, friendly and helpful
   
3. Customers were happy and buying lots of art
   
4. I made the most amount of money than any other show (even to date)
   
5. There was free music and entertainment
   
6. My son worked with me - and will again this year, even on his birthday and everything!
   
7. I met some awesome customers who became repeat customers
   
8. My tent was right across from a sushi place - yummy lunch
   
9. It was easy to find and didn't take as long as I thought to get there
   
10. Lots and lots of great artists - I was in such good company

The event takes place in Worcester, Mass. on Sunday, Sept. 21 from 11am to 5 pm. You should try to come out. It's going to be a great time!

Art Shows and Such

GEARING UP FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

As you may have read, my kids went back to school today. It's time to get crankin' on some new awesome jewelry art! I'm pretty excited because I've been ordering lots of new supplies and now I have the time to put them to work.

My schedule has changed a bit. So here's an update:

stART in the Street
Park Avenue, between Highland and Pleasant
Worcester, MA
Sunday, September 21
11am-5pm

Art to Wear Jewelry Show
hosted by my sister, Denise Blais
Saturday, September 27
(private party)

Arts and Music Festival
Mud Spun Arts Center
Belchertown, MA
Sunday, October 12
11am-5pm

Winter Festival
Marketplace at Eastworks
Easthampton, MA
Saturday & Sunday, December 13 & 14
10am-4pm

Why am I "the only" mom not happy when school starts?

A SELF EXPLORATION

Okay, so my sister tells me yesterday that I am "the ONLY person" she's heard say "I hate that my kids are going back to school."

My first thought is there must be something wrong with me. Why would I want my kids to be home longer?

I mean, I get it, when they go back to school they're out of my hair, I have more time to get stuff done and there's less whining and complaining for me to deal with.

But I still feel really lucky to have them here with me all day long. I'm fortunate to be a work-at-home mom and a (struggling) artist supported in every way by her husband.

So, after sleeping on it last night, I realized this morning, as I was giving hugs and making lunches, that most moms in my position are probably feeling the same way.

Even though my kids get on my nerves plenty (not to mention each others') - that is out-weighed by the fact that they're fun and they make me laugh until I pee.

And although I am "the worst mom ever" at least twice a day (according to one little girl) I get at least ten times that in hugs every day.

Other moms "like me" - a stay-at-home mom, a work-at-home mom or perhaps a school teacher mom - get to be a kid with their kids once June rolls around.

From September to June, I have to be productive - in my windowless studio, in the kitchen - in the house in general.

From June to September, I get to come out of my dungeon, play outside, swim with my kids and spend a lot of time talking with them - nothing as serious as organizing their schoolwork to help improve their grades.

We're all just more relaxed in the summer - mentally and physically. We wake up when we want to - not at 6:00 a.m. to catch the bus at 6:40.

I drive to Dunkin Donuts for ice coffee - not brew a hot cup and hunker down inside planning my day of indoor work.

In the late afternoon, we don't have to rush to dance and drums and other after school commitments - we start up a fire in the pit and make s'mores.

I mean, the end of summer is what we're talking about. It's the end of little girl picking me flowers, it's the end of bike rides and walks to the tire swing. It's the end of beach-going and the end of getting lost because we have no time restraints and we don't have to answer to anyone!

So, I guess there's really nothing wrong with wishing school could start later - which by the way, August 27? Really? Are you kidding me?

P.S. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for sympathy here. I know I have it good. I just don't get the same kind of fulfillment in let's say, housework, that I get from spending time with my kids.