Shortcake + Me, Muriel Juneberry Fahrion

Shortcake + Me, by Muriel Juneberry Fahrion

Last weekend I attended the BCAF Comic Con (Boise Comic Arts Festival) as a vendor, showing my altered and original art, along with my daughter Emily's illustrations. After we got all set up, and the convention hadn't opened to the public, Emily and I walked around to look at everything, and the very last table, I saw a bunch of Strawberry Shortcake art, which caught my eye. I looked up to see who was running the table, and there was Muriel Juneberry Fahrion, the creator of Strawberry Shortcake! I was not expecting this, and shame on me, I should have read the list of vendors but I was too busy getting prepared for the show I just glanced quickly. I was so excited--no, thrilled--to meet her! I had, and still have, all the original dolls as well as everything I was ever given pertaining to Strawberry Shortcake as a kid, so to meet someone whose art actually influenced my childhood was a major highlight for me. 

Muriel was kind enough to visit with both me and Emily for quite a while, until the convention opened, then of course, she was quite busy. She let us take a photo with her:

Emily, Muriel, and Me, 2024

She was selling original drawings of Strawberry Shortcake characters and oh did I forget to mention she also created all the original Care Bears and Get Along Gang? She was also selling little books called Shortcake + Me, which were autographed and illustrated, telling briefly her work history regarding Strawberry Shortcake and what she is doing now. I had to buy one, and it was a quick read, but full of adorable illustrations and photos of her life.

I also purchased a drawing right out of her sketchbook. She drew it in the airplane on her way to Boise. I am going to mat and frame it, and will cherish it forever! Isn't it cute?

Original drawing of Strawberry Shortcake by Muriel Juneberry Fahrion, 2024

I have to say, this was a very exciting moment for me. I have often been asked, if you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be? I have never known quite what to answer, but I am really glad I got to meet Muriel!

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Outlaw, Ted Dekker

Outlaw, Ted Dekker

Ted Dekker is one of my favorite authors because I never quite know where he is going with his stories until the end, and he always has a unique take on whatever message he is getting across. This one is no different, although I felt the story was quite a bit different from the others I have read.

This takes place on the island of New Guinea, which if you know anything about Ted Dekker, he was a missionary kid who grew up there. So we learn a bit about the ways of the natives in this book, their culture, and thought processes.

The story is about a southern young widowed mother in the early 1960s who has been shipwrecked and the horrible things that happen to her on this island, so many atrocities---I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into too much detail---but the first half of the book, there is just one terrifying ordeal after another with just a few calms in between. 

The second half, I also can't say much about because it will spoil something important that you have to go through the first half of the story to understand. 

I will say, though, that this amazing story explores the identities we take on and how the only true identity is the one that we have as children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. All other identities come and go. And as a child of the true Chief, we are to show His love to those who have never been loved, no matter how much they may hurt us--just as Christ did.

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The Repurposed Library, by Lisa Occhipinti

The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti

I picked up this book at the Baker County Public Library book sale. As a creative person as well as an avid booklover and reader, this book intrigued me. I have to say, the thought of upcycling a perfectly good book horrifies me; however, I have a big stack of books that are falling apart or damaged beyond being able to be read, and I have thought about trying to find some way to give them a new purpose. There are a few ideas in this book that I could try. I do like that she starts the book educating the reader on what are collectible and valuable books, and not to use those. 

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

 

Your Fully Charged Life, Meaghan B. Murphy

Your Fully Charged Life, 

a Radically Simple Approach 

to Having Endless Energy 

and Filling Every Day with YAY, 

Meaghan B Murphy

I have always seemed to have a full plate and not enough energy to do what I feel I need to do, so of course I picked up this book. It's a simple concept, look at yourself and your environment, and make changes to your outlook, your diet, your health, who you hang out with, etc. and gives you ways to do it and information on why these things are important. And sometimes we need simple ideas because we have complicated things too much and need to go back to square one.

This book was written during the Covid shutdown and reflects that, but is still applicable to pretty much anybody. If you tend to be a pessimist, if you suffer from depression, if you live with difficult or chaotic people or have them in your life, if your job is stressful, or your life isn't happy go lucky all the time (nobody's ever is) then this book is for you!

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

 

All Together In One Place, Jane Kirkpatrick

All Together In One Place, Jane Kirkpatrick

Growing up in Eastern Oregon, along the Oregon Trail, I have always felt like that's all you ever hear about here. Half the businesses in town are named after the Oregon Trail, and tourists come from all over for that Oregon Trail history. I think, and it's probably this way for whatever historical claim to fame one's region has, that it can do one of two things for the locals--they can either wholly embrace it, or just get tired of hearing about it. I have always been tired of hearing it. It wasn't that I didn't respect those who came over on the wagon trains, I just always got tired of it being pounded into my head that this was all that was important, IS important where I live...so I have always steered clear of books about The Oregon Trail. 

However, how can I turn my back on anything written by one of my favorite authors, Jane Kirkpatrick? She actually has written a lot about the general area that I live in, and although it hasn't always been my first choice of subject to read upon, each one of her stories helps me understand and appreciate the history of this land and the people in it. And so it is with this story, the first in a trilogy, about a wagon train that lost its men to cholera, and the women had to continue on without them. This story is based on a remark made by Ezra Meeker about eleven women on a wagon train whose men all died; the author has done an excellent job researching the time, location and details of when Meeker recorded this bit of information; unfortunately, there is no more information on who these women were, but in this book, there are a variety of women with different backgrounds---farmers, store owners, a woman running from her past, Asian mail order brides, and more, and how they deal with their loss as they work together to survive and move along to their destination in the West. 

I look forward to reading the next installment. Her work is always so good.

Also of note, I picked up this book at a thrift store, and it is autographed! That's always a bonus!

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck