Well I’ve been working on the pictures for the Little Book of Festive Poetry – here are one or two of them – they are rough and in felt tip but they are what people will be getting this year once I’ve scanned them etc…
Obviously I need to sort out things like the spacing for the words which I have tried to encampus from the beginning. And here are some more 🙂
I just thought I should say THANKYOU to Tara and all the guest bloggers on her blog who have helped those taking part in Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo). Firstly thanks for the idea of a thirty day challenge, secondly thankyou for all the encouragement and resources you have all dug up for us 🙂
As I was already doing NaNoWriMo I wasn’t orginally going to do the full challenge and was just going to work on my art journal for another project but me being me I could not resist – and I’m so glad I didn’t. I got 30 ides down pretty quick though some where nothing more than a few words. I think to be fair that many of the ideas where bimbling around my brain anyway and where just begging to be written down.
So today is the last day and many of the ideas are already being significantly worked on!
I’m going to keep up this blog though not at this sort of frequency – there are another few such ‘wrimo’ events that I will cover on here too so it all looks set to take me forward to new and fun things.
This situation would not have occured without PiBoIdMo though as I needed a kick start and something to get me over the set back of thinking I was getting a children’s book published and then seeing it sat on.
So expect more badly drawn sketches and the like on here probably about once a week but I’m not promising!
Well I had 30 ideas pretty much from the beginning and have been working on fleshing out and writing some of them.
I have completed the poems for the Little Book of Festive Poetry – some of them are a bit rough – not as nicely rhymey as I would like but they are something to be getting on with for now. I will spend the next few days doing some felt tip pen illustrations for the poems which I plan to scan and then print into booklets to send to family and friends for Christmas.
With the end of #PiBoIdMo drawing near I find myself going arg! Christmas but I think I am ahead of where I would have been otherwise – I’d have come up with the idea of the poetry book on like Christmas eve as I did with the Halloween one!
My plan is the poems will go out with a little tweaking this year and then I will look at them again probably half way through next year. I will make all nice and tight and polish the illustrations in electrical format until they shin! And then I will do as people are already begging me to do and release it as a ‘proper’ book for next Christmas.
I will have it avalible as a cheap e-book and then use print on demand. If the demand is good enough I will take the profits from that and print a batch hopefully for the following year – if people are still interested by then.
I have to say I am suprised that poems that are aimed at my little girl and are specific to our family life have had such a warm reception.
And if it is a flop it doesn’t matter as Jean will like them anyway – they are after all mostly about her!
Ok so yes this is probably cheating 🙂
On the first day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
There’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the second day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Two eaten pies, and there’s a cat in the Christmas tress
On third day of christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the christmas tree
On the fourth day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the fifth day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Five kids for tea! four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the Sixth day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Six cakes a baking, five kids for tea! Four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the Seventh day of Christmas my Jean bean said to me
Seven games a playing, six cakes a baking, five kids for tea! Four calling friends , three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the eighth day of Christmas my Jean been said to me
Eight mallows toasting, seven games a playing, six cakes a baking, five kids for tea! Four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the ninth day of Christmas my Jean bean said to me
Nine cars arriving, eight mallows toasting, seven games a playing, six cakes a baking, five kids for tea! Four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Charistmas tree
<
p>On the tenth day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Ten singers singing, nine cars arriving, eight mallows toasting, seven games a playing, six cakes a baking, five kids for tea! Four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the Christmas tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
eleven chestnuts roasting, ten singers singing, nine cars arriving, eight mallows toasting, seven games a playing, six cakes a baking, five kids for tea! Four calling friends, three puddens burnt, two eaten pies and there’s a cat in the christmas tree
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my Jean Bean said to me
Thankyou
In our house there are four cats
Four cats in our house
That do jump and leap about
At Christmas time
the time of Christmas
these cats do have
a fantastic time
Leaping up into the tree
The tree they leap into
it seems is all baubles
and glittery things
For them to try
To try them
To pounce and grab
and then
Chase the tinsel
The tinsel chase
around the house
What a race
With creme and pies
and pies and cream
Licking chops
The cats preen
Left overs of yummy meat
Meat left overs
what a treat
sitting in their bowl to eat
Cats love Christmas
Love Christmas cats
Cat Christmas love
they’re after your lunch!
So be aware
That cat love at Christmas
is a purring affair
If your reading this and its Christmas Eve and night
Then close your little eyes screw them up tight
For Father Christmas is on his way
Delivering presents for Christmas Day
But he will not stop at houses where
He thinks children will stop and stare
Watching for that streak in the sky
The comet thats a sled going by
So now it is time for sleep
And only naughty children peep
But just incase I leave with you
Binoculars that will improve your view
Goodnight Christmas 09
This is your little Book of Festive Poetry
for the month of December and some of January
So lets begin with a Christmas shout
And get those decorations out and about
And string them all about the house
And Jean don’t forget your special little Santa Mouse
Who has a story all his own
Or will once mummy writes *that* tome
Now here’s same glitter and some card
We’ll make more decorations – come on its not hard!
This little book is just for you
all christmasy and festive and glittery too
So hope you like angles, mangers and trees
And gatherings of friends in Twos and Threes!
For singing carols and having fun
Till all the partying is done!
So now its time for that Christmas Cheer!
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Dear Santa l must warn you
Of our Cottage in a valley
All oak beams and stone too
But especially about the chimney
There is a lovely fire place
Burning coal, wood and stuff
We are warning you just in case
You end up in a huff
At night our fire don’t go out
Its all our heating you must see
And if your bum hit it you would shout
With sore bottom you would then flee
So Santa please
don’t burn your bum
We’ll leave the keys
And a yummy scrummy current bun
Yes I know it needs more work!
Christmas Eve
Decorations round the house Buables, tinsel, Santa Mouse
Jean is adding chocolates to the tree She wants to eat one But Mummy is being mean
And says she’s had lots already Mince pies, strudle, custard – jelly
Lights glowing in pretty tones Jean talks excitedly on the phone
To Nanny and Ganfer who Are going to come round too
And help her hang her stocking up And maybe have some punch cup
Singing songs into the night Carols about Angles flight
Then Jean is off to her bed Denying that she’s a sleepy head
Yawing loud its quiet a sight She should sleep until its light
And it will be present time After all its Christmas Time!
It’s our house on Christmas Day But there is no turkey on display Daddy’s a veggi or so they say So on this most special day
Instead of grey and stringy meat We have something nice to eat It really is the bestest treat And it might even be a little sweet
It is known as Leopard Pie Its about 3 inches high Within it lots of goodies lie And Daddy wears his christmas tie
sugar covered with cinnamon dust He hopes it wont be a bust When he cuts into the crust Its ok its structurally – robust!
And he serves up perfection His strike – against convention But he’s still full of nervous tension that we wont like this selection
Of pasta with the feta cheese Made with capers that look like peas Peppers, and marmite if you please And don’t forget leopards! What a tease
Is that daddy on Christmas Day When there is no Turkey on display And we do things our own independent way On this special magic day