First, meet the chickens.  This picture is a couple weeks old, and did you know chickens grow fast?  They do.  Now, they’re teenage chickens.  The feathers are coming in and the down is coming out.  They’re all legs, long necks and big feet. They are blase about finding the bottom of their box through the bedding, and now just practice stunts like sitting on top of the feeder.

Meet Margie, Specky, and Liz Lemon.

Chicks

I took a break from the care and feeding of chickens to make a little something for the auction I mentioned for Bridget Zinn.  I found this super easy pattern for a fun bag, and tweaked it a little bit.

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But the bag wasn’t enough.  So, I tried to make a bag for a writer.  I sewed a few bits of matching fabric to a Moleskine notebook and threw in some pens.  Then I made a little tissue holder, because writers are always weeping tears of joy when they finish a draft, or find the perfect phrase, or sell a manuscript.  I imagine.  That stuff never happens to me, but if it does- I will need tissue. Writers also need silliness and sustenance, so there are some stickers and Fran’s chocolates. A writer’s goody bag!  It could work for an illustrator, too.  Anybody’s goody bag!

handbag inside

I believe it will be available at the silent auction for Bridget at the Lucky Lab Pub in SE Portland on May 29th. Fear not, if you’re not going to be in Portland there are lots of great items you can bid on right now at the online auction.

What else is happening on the internet?  People are feeling inspired by the month of May.

Paula Yoo is declaring a National Picture Book Writing Week (“NaPiBoWriWee”).  Can you write a picture book a day for seven days, starting today?  Try it!

French Toast Girl would like to try to do something creative every day in May, and you’re welcome to join her.  There’s even a Flickr pool.

Laini Taylor has an excellent post about authors who feel they’re slumming if their book is picked up as YA.

Last night we came across a contest for Lego loot, and my kid is first and foremost- a Lego maniac.  Per the instructions, I snapped a picture of some family Lego building on my way out to meet my favorite newlywed illustrator. Want to see the poor souls who live with me?  Here they are.

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