Knock! Knock! Knock!...Housekeeping! (I wish!)

     I have done some housekeeping on my blog in an attempt to avoid actual housecleaning in my home.  I found a few pics that missed making the gallery.  Hope you enjoy.  I'll make this short and sweet because if I don't go to bed soon the kids will be ironing their own clothes in the morning and making their own lunches and I will be to tired to clean house. Oh Darn!  If you neglect to do what you ought to be doin' because you were to busy placing your art order in time for Christmas delivery, well, that's alright with me!  Ho! Ho! Hurry!

Who uses words like "Cockles"? Sadly, I do.

     It has been brought to my attention that I have not updated my blog in quite some time.  I am out of blogging shape, so I do this at great risk of pulling a muscle in my typing fingers. 
     Who am I kidding?  Anybody who knows me knows that I exercise these 'typers' daily (Okay, hourly) on Facebook.  I love Facebook.  It's the first time in my life I've received over 90 well-wishes on my birthday and what a joy it is to let the whole wide world know that I've reached mile-marker forty-two. 
     Technology is sometimes an awful reality of our lives, but sometimes it can just plain brighten your day.  Perhaps you did not know, but I'm a humungo Dolly Parton fan (perhaps 'nut' is more appropriate) and since the publishing of her new book she has been on every TV interview show known to Earth.  That alone brightens my day, but more so, I got plenty of messages to alert me that she would be on the Kelly & Don't-Know-the-New-Guys-Name Show (I'm not sure if that's the official name of the show or not).  Though they were all meaningful, the most blessed of reminders came in the form of a text to my cell phone from friend.  This friend is in the trenches fighting breast cancer and rather than wollering in what is happening to her, she found a moment to think of me.   As we say in the country, "That just warmed the cockles of my heart!"
     So, when you send that little message to someone, maybe you're doing a greater deed than you could ever have imagined and couldn't the world use a whole lot more 'greater deeds'?  With that in mind, I think I will take a moment to send out a few more messages a lot more often.
     Now, for the reason I have this blog (In case you've forgotten, it's to sell my art).  There is still time to order custom art for the holidays.  Popular ideas are portraits of children or other loved ones, animal portraits or even funny caricatures.  If you're stumped for a Christmas gift, ask how I can solve your problem.  Don't wait too long, I need time to fit orders in.
     I have posted a picture of my latest work, a mural in the office of Dr. Carrie Wilgus at her new business location of Southside Pediatrics in Hastings, Michigan.  The mural measures approximately 5foot by 7 foot.  I can do a mural for you too!  If you're new to my site, I can most easily be found on Facebook by searching Christine Terpening or Moonshine Fine Art Studio.

    In case I neglect this site again I better say it now...Merry Christmas to you!

LIBERTY LIL IS NOW AVAILABLE!

   Now available!  I have published my book, Liberty Lil, for immediate download at www.barnesandnoble.com and at www.amazon.com  I hope you buy it today and share it with the children in your life.  Not only will they learn a lot about history and government elections, they will laugh, cover to cover (if you can say that about an e-book).    Here is a brief overview of the book from Liberty Lil herself:

      Don't roll your eyes at another book about a school election. I, Liberty Lil, will keep you laughing while glued to your e-reader as I struggle to climb the rickety ladder to political popularity. This story is filled with hilarity, from the first page to the last, as comical embarrassments happen to poor, unfortunate me.
      I, Liberty Lil, am an unpopular, uncoordinated and unlucky sixth grader at Maple Street Elementary who dares (and dreams) what seems to be the impossible-- becoming President of the United States of America. When my irritatingly popular arch-enemy, Bobby Olson, gets wind of my aspirations, he tells me that I can't be President because I'm a girl. Can you believe his nerve? Though I pride myself on having a perfect behaviour record, I respond with impulsive anger (which he totally deserved). I have a hard time keeping my thoughts from exiting my megaphone-mouth, which leads to a not-so-fun visit to the Principals office. Along with my friends, Josey and Scout, I will get the gumption to jump into the sometimes mud-filled pool of politics. Armed with my imaginative dreams, good friends and even a visit from Abraham Lincoln, I, Liberty Lil, will survive...but will I become class president?

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     Liberty Lil is getting rave reviews from my mother and daughter!  Biased?  They may be, but take my word for it, it's a hoot!  Also, for every one person you share this with you will receive ten good citizen brownie points, awarded by me personally. Worthless?  Maybe!  But, you will get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing you've helped my daughter afford another (yes, another) pony!
   Enough of my kind of crazy for now!  Thanks for your support!  -Christine

     Howdy! Howdy! I have finished the cover of my story, Liberty Lil.  What do you think?  I know that's a dangerous question, but it's rhetorical.  It's too late and I'm too pooped to take hecklers!
     Since I'm posting the cover, I'll add just a little from chapter eight that makes me chuckle...but to tell the truth, it doesn't take much to amuse me.  Here it is.....

Can you imagine a year with Bobby as class president?  Unfortunately I can.  If he had his way Science would be replaced with robot doodling, math with power napping and English with an arm-fart choir.  I’m pretty sure the job market is slim to none with those stellar skills.

“Mrs. Snodsnucker, can you explain the Electoral College,” I asked hoping I could suck up as much knowledge as I could in case the Doodle-Nap-Fart-Master won the school election.

...And that's all for now!  I attend a writing conference this weekend and will then be a little bit closer to being able to publish Liberty Lil on e-readers.  Technology can be a real head-scratcher!

Take care, Christine 

Is that China I see?

     Have you ever tried to dig a hole to China?  I have...with little success.  At the farm where I grew up we had sand dunes in our back pasture.  I would take Dads shovel and begin, with all seriousness, digging to China.  I still do that today...in a way.  I am up to my ears (Yes...I'm breathing through a straw right now) in a project that I started some three years ago.  Although my talents lie in the fine arts, I have tried my hand at writing.  I started this not-so-little story entitled "Liberty Lil" three years ago and I am finally able to see the end...China.
      In order to quit disappointing myself I have quit making deadlines for this book, but since it has a political theme (stop rolling your eyes...it's a hilarious political theme) I would like it available soon.  Here is a little taste of Liberty Lil (preproofread by someone who is handy with a red pen):

Without the watchful eye of my dweeby nemesis, I could finally concentrate on my schooling.  Much to my delight, we are studying government elections.  Though I was eager to learn, I couldn’t help notice how some of my classmates endured what they considered excruciating boredom.  I kept both ears on Mrs. Snodsnucker but my eyes wandered around the room.  Allie, always with her hair placed in an up-do used a bobby pin to clean out her ear canals only to stick the pin back in her hair when she deemed herself wax-free…Roland tried repeatedly to make his ears wiggle (at least I think that’s what he was doing)…and then there was Shawn, thinking he was so cool, swiped his snot-reservoir of a nose with both palms straight up coating them with next week’s flu virus and then styled his faux-hawk to perfection with the germ-laced gel (Cue vomit!). 

Deciding that being aware of my surroundings was to gross, I zeroed back in on the teacher and the lesson I’m sure we would be tested on later…Elections.  They can be tricky to understand, even for me…especially the presidential election.  There is the Electoral College, Democrats and Republicans, popular vote, super delegates, primary and general elections.  Whew!  It’s enough to give anyone the kind of headache you would get if you tried to divide thirty seven into three thousand, six hundred and sixty three…in your head!

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There is your taste!  I better get diggin'!  Don't forget that I am also an artist for hire if you would like to prolong this story even further. 

Zài jiàn (that's 'goodbye' in Chinese...I Google!).   -Christine