Once Upon Two Prayers

Talented illustrator, Joe Wagner has completed Once Upon Two Prayers. He sent the file on my sister Patti’s birthday, January 26th! It is amazing in its color and detail. I’m so excited and happy to have another book to print. Someday…

Janbatis ak Jozyann Refe

It’s been awhile…Dawn Stephens and I were busy completing this Creole coloring book/medical tool for a Virginia Beach antiparasite mission to Haiti. It went to the printer the day before the earthquake and I feel stunned. It is ready for the mission group, when they are ready to take it. I pray it will be a blessing to Baptist someday.

Books on a Mission. Or two.

This is from my friend, Lori, who listened to how the Spanish, coloring book version of Little Tucker Two Sticks touched hearts in Dominican Republic, and passed the e-version along to missionaries she supports:

Jean,

 

I just wanted to share that I was able to send your book to two missionaries in the field:

 

Toni McAndrew: is a missionary to the deaf in El Salvador

Jim and Karen Mackiewicz: are missionaries that are just leaving for the field to Brazil doing church planting

 

I am excited about how many people will get to be blessed by your hard work.  

 

God bless!

Art in the Spirit

Congratulations to Leslie and Bill Marks. Their new website is up and running: http://www.visualpraise.com. The first time I saw Leslie’s paintings I stopped walking and it felt like I started breathing the beauty of her art. It was at The Founders Inn and Spa one day as I trapsed from the sales area to Swan Terrace. They’d set up the paintings for a show. My love for horses drew me to stare at and study the “Sons of Thunder” painting of wild, white horses.

We started up a conversation and I learned that Leslie paints what the Spirit prompts her to paint.  I bought a few cards – the horses, the lion, the dove and the young girl reaching out to touch Jesus’ robe- since I couldn’t manage a painting or a print.  The front of each card is a copy of one of her paintings with a few words beneath the image. The back connects the meaning of the art to scripture. I must admit it was hard to let go of those cards, to send them away; they were so beautiful to me. Yet the impact they have on the recipient is worth it!

I plan on buying more.

Thanks for the beauty you bring to our world, Leslie and Bill.

Peace,

Jean

Thank you Hampton Roads Magazine and Rocket Direct

My friends at Hampton Roads Magazine HRMag.com, under the Vista Graphics umbrella, came through. Meredith Hemenway, Marketing Director, and Randy Thompson, Publisher, connected me Delores Schilling, Sales & Marketing Director at Rocket Direct Communications www.rocketdirectmail.com. As we speak, the Spanish Little Tucker Two Sticks is printing as a coloring book. Thank you Meredith, Randy and Delores! The kids in Dominican Republic will be so excited. I can’t wait to see what happens and report back about the good you’ve done.

Dawn and I are thinking about printing more coloring books in the future…

Dawn Stephens publishes

Dawn Stephens has published her first book, The Little Pot.  My dear friend and the illustrator of Little Tucker Two Sticks had long aspired toward this end goal. Please check out her website and her beautiful book with a Christian message at:  http://dawnstephensbooks.com.

In between all of her activities as wife, mom, business woman and writer, she even took the time to turn our Christian children’s picture book into a coloring book. She went into the file, took out all the color and made it into a printable, black and white version. Now, translated into Spanish and soon to be printed, this little book will carry its precious message farther than we ever dreamed.

 

Thank you Dawn, for having the heart of God’s “little pot.”

 

Love ya!!

Jean

Roly polies venture out this spring

This is an incredible time of year to find roly poly bugs. They’re out on the town, crawling around with lots of spring gusto. Show your kids where to find them in the yard or garden! Point them out, and if you have a copy of my children’s book, Rockin Roly Poly, read it again!! It’s great reading for children, it rhymes, it’s got a Bible verse to connect to the story and the illustrations rock.  It’s a teaching moment, parents. Take advantage of it!!!

Stuffed roly poly bugs

Candice C., a co-worker, when buying my two books for her son, got the very first hand-sewn, stuffed roly poly. I hear he sleeps with the little bug at night. I wonder if he rolls out of bed…

I made a prototype on my sewing maching from soft, gray fabric. It’s stuffed with pillow fluff, then I embroider eyes, eyebrows and a smile with black embroidery thread. It’s small and squeezable, fits in little hands and is safe – no lead, no melamine, nothing sharp or toxic.

Even though I’ve researched places to mass-produce these, I am now looking for seniors or others who may want to participate in a positive, creative project. Each poly will have its own tag with the maker’s name, hand written. 

So now, when people purchase Rockin’ Roly Poly, along with it comes the stuffed poly! It’s SO fun…

Thanks, Candice, for being the first.

Little Tucker Two Sticks translated into Spanish

Alba, a First Colonial High School Spanish teacher, has translated Little Tucker Two Sticks into Spanish. Soon, the book will re-print, this time as a black and white coloring book, with Spanish copy. A few locally originating medical missions will take the coloring books to kids in Spanish speaking countries. Not only will the kids benefit from the medical missions but will have the chance to soak in the book’s message while coloring and waiting for care. Thank you, Alba!

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