CELEBRATE LIFE!



Celebrate Life!

Celebrate Life this New Year's! Reflect and appreciate gifts of love, family, memories, a laugh shared with friends, art, and of course, Rudy and other furry fellows. It's not always grand events with lots of fireworks & hoopla that have the most impact, but quiet special moments of joy. May this New Year bring you plenty of both!

MAKE TIME FOR FRIENDS

"Make Time For Friends"



Make time for friends! Life seems to accelerate during the holidays--extra errands, year end work, shopping, baking, school vacations, etc. I'm trying to pace myself and remember what's most important in my life--my friends, family, Rudy, and quiet moments amid the chaos and marketing hype. Here's wishing you and yours a joyous Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa!

Author Event at Dolly's Bookstore Sun., 12/21 4:00-6:00

Brenda Hall & twins enjoy SHOOT FOR THE MOON!

Books make great holiday gifts!! Join us at Dolly's Bookstore on Main St. in Park City on Sun., Dec. 21 from 4:00-6:00 and get your signed books today!! Please support your local bookstores--we are so lucky to have Dolly's and also Atticus Books & Teahouse--two of my favorite hangouts! Both have great selections of books, cards and gifts, and Atticus also offers light meals and yummy desserts and other refreshments + free wi-fi. Happy Howlidays to ALL!



Books Are GREAT Holiday Gifts!! Bobbie Pyron & Corinne Humphrey at Barnes & Noble

Bobbie Pyron & Corinne Humphrey Sign Books at Barnes & Noble Dec. 10

BOOKS make great holiday gifts! Here I am with one of my favorite authors--Bobbie Pyron, author of A Dog's Way Home--this past Saturday at Barnes & Noble in Sugarhouse, Salt Lake City for the Highland Park Elementary School Book Fair! Thank you everyone who stopped by to say hello. Come join us Sunday, Dec. 18 @ Dolly's Bookstore in Park City from 4:00-6:00. Get your signed copies today!



THANK YOUR LUCKY STAR or FOLLOW YOUR GUIDING STAR



THANK YOUR LUCKY STAR or FOLLOW YOUR GUIDING STAR



This painting was initially entitled, "Thank Your Lucky Star." I have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season--wonderful friends, supportive family, a job, creative opportunities, and of course, Rudy! The title was changed slightly for the new book to "Follow Your Guiding Star," also good advice to myself to follow my intuition and stick to a path of Joy. Best wishes to you all, and may your guiding star be shining brightly to lead the way.

SHOOT FOR THE MOON at Kearns-St. Ann's School with Bobbie Pyron and A DOG'S WAY HOME.

 

Author Bobbie Pyron (A Dog's Way Home) and I visited Kearns-St. Ann's school last week and had a great time with K-8th graders. It's such a treat to do a presentation with one of my favorite middle and YA authors, and together our books appeal to both ends of the age spectrum. A slide presentation of SHOOT FOR THE MOON! and sketches and paintings from the book gave the kids a look at "How to Become an Illustrator," and Bobbie shared her lifelong dream of becoming a writer and a glimpse of the writer's life and then read from her second book, A Dog's Way Home.

Visit with 3rd Graders at Parley's Park Elementary

I had such a great time with Parley's Park 3rd Grade!! Weee! Thank you for inviting me to your school--you all were an AWESOME audience! Thank you Mrs. Quapp for setting this up! 

BELIEVE IN MAGIC!

BELIEVE IN MAGIC!

Every day holds the possibility of a miracle! Renew your sense of wonder of the world around you, and take a few moments daily to rejoice in small joys and the incredible magic of life and nature! BARK IF YOU BELIEVE! "Woof Woof!"



Shoot for the MOON!!

 Shoot for the MOON!!

It's time to set some new goals...with New Year's approaching, and the world in flux, focus on your own needs, desires and long held dreams, and aim high to create the life you want!

TAKE THE LEAP!

TAKE THE LEAP!

Listen to your Intuition. Have confidence in your ability to survive and thrive in new endeavors, even if you're not assured of the outcome. Example: we think nothing of driving 2500+ miles across country at night, with only the 10' beam of our headlights to guide us, but we do it easily without knowing what lies ahead.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H Yourself!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H  Yourself!

Take a small risk or challenge yourself to reach a difficult goal--your self esteem gets a boost, while spurring you on to bigger projects and rewards! Growth is good!

FIND A BALANCE!

Find a Balance

Finding a Balance is tough. In addition to big committments like family, work and our health,  there are increasing demands on our time and energy from lesser masters. What makes you SING?! What fills your heart with JOY? Decide what is important to you and make time for it today.

The Tao of Rudy: DON'T BE AFRAID OF YOUR SHADOW!

The Tao of Rudy: DON'T BE AFRAID OF YOUR SHADOW!: In this painting, Rudy is stiff and nervous, looking back over his shoulder at a very large, but playful s...

DON'T BE AFRAID OF YOUR SHADOW!

Don't Be Afraid of Your Shadow!

In this painting, Rudy is stiff and nervous, looking back over his shoulder at a very large, but playful shadow who is ready for a game of ball. Fear keeps us from trying new things, from experimenting and enjoying hidden talents and from exploring the world around us. Don't let it rob you of JOY! Happy Howl-o-ween!!

Rudy Visits Mpondo School, South Africa




Teachers at Mpondo School, S. Africa

 



SHOOT FOR THE MOON-Mpondo School







Mpondo School, S. Africa

Reading SHOOT FOR THE MOON at Mpondo School in S. Africa was a highlight of my September trip to the region! The school is located in the Zulu village of Mpondo, and while the school's facilities were impoverished, the kids were enthusiastic and seemed to enjoy the book. They have no computers here and are in need of basic supplies, books, etc. If you can help, please contact Zulu Nyala Lodge for info on how to help.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H Yourself!

S-T-R-E-T-C-H  Yourself! Try new things, rise to the challenge, and get rid of limitations imposed by others or yourself! 

I am not a trained artist, but I adopted Rudy, and started a painting class at the local adult education program. Rudy's pattern is so fun to draw, and after encouragment by artist Sheila Norgate, I jumped in. It's been a joy ever since.

I read one quote/suggestion which advised trying one new thing every month; it doesn't have to be a momentous goal like running a century--it could be signing up for guitar lessons, taking your first solo trip, applying for a new job that is bigger, or even going to a movie alone.

Listen to Your Teachers

LISTEN TO YOUR TEACHERS

Teachers come in all shapes and sizes. It could be a person, a pet, an author/filmaker/artist or nature. Pay attention to your intuition or to the knowledge coming your way from other sources and be open to the flow of ideas. Have a great day!

The Tao of Rudy: Find a Hero!

The Tao of Rudy: Find a Hero!: "FIND A HERO!"

Find a Hero!

"FIND A HERO!"

"It Doesn't Matter What Kind of Dog You Are, You Can Create the Life You Want!"



It Doesn't Matter What Kind of Dog You Are...

 

You Can Create the Life You Want!

 Rudy says it doesn't matter whether you're tall or short, black or white, spotted or striped, you CAN CREATE the life you want! Rudy is a mutt, a mix between an English Pointer and who knows what else, and he really needed to get out of the shelters and foster homes and find a happy future with a loving human.

So, what's YOUR ideal life? Imagine it in vivid detail, paint it, sing it and keep it in the forefront of your mind.

Canine Wisdom for the Current Age

Anyone can teach their dog to sit, stay and speak, but did you ever stop to think about what your dog can teach you?

When I was at the shelter looking for a dog, Rudy (formerly known as Bob) was not my first, second or third choice. He seemed unruly, wild-eyed and agitated, but the staff encouraged me to just take him outside and give him a 3-day trial. Outside of the shelter and once in my home, he was much different. In addition to unconditional love and loyalty, Rudy taught me to dig deeper, to take a closer look to find the true "diamond in the ruff," whether you're dealing with pets or people.

What have you learned from your pets?



Rudy's Paintings Featured at NEW Starving Artist Exchange!

Three enterprising Summit County artists--Alisha Niswander, Katie Stellpflug, and Cassidy DuHadway--created the Starving Artist Exchange, a fabulous, intimate gallery space in Kamas, Utah. I was very excited to be their first featured artist for the month of July, and they hosted a reception on July 1. In addition to hosting a monthly featured artist, the gallery is a showcase for the creators' own pottery and fiber art, and the photography, jewelry, handmade soaps and works of other local artists. Please stop by on Saturday, July 9 at 10:00 for a Story Time with me and fellow author Jayann Sindt. Check out the great local art at The Starving Artist Exchange at 283 N. Main St. in Kamas, Utah, open Sat/Sun and also by appointment.

Our NEW book is here!

Hello Everyone and welcome to our new blog!

Our biggest announcement is that our new book, SHOOT FOR THE MOON, Lessons on Life from a Dog Named Rudy is here!

We signed a contract last year with Chronicle Books, a dynamic, respected publisher in San Francisco who acquired our original award-winning, self-published book, The Tao of Rudy, and together we've created a beautiful compilation of old and new paintings that I hope you'll enjoy. We've gotten some very nice reviews in Publishers' Weekly, School Library Journal and of course, support from friends has been overwhelming, so thank you all!

It's been very exciting working with the Chronicle team, and I look forward to a long and productive partnership! (http://www.chroniclebooks.com/)