A Drawing, A Story, and A Display

This is me with Merrill Rainey at the Marvelous Midwest SCBWI conference last May. I asked Merrill in 2018 about finding an illustrator for my debut book NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM. He loved the idea, gave me great advice, but couldn’t do the illustrations himself. His story – his agent would have had a fit! I believe it . . . I can’t afford Merrill’s prices!

But at the conference I got this illustration of me . . . FOR FREE! On Saturday night, the conference set up a carnival midway with games, and prizes, and charicatures. Guess who did mine!
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I still have it. I just gave it a frame, and a home at my lake house.

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​​I found the perfect frame. It’s a dark hunter green. I put Merrill’s caricature inside and closed it up.

Now it’s easier to read the words, ‘It’s THE POOP DECK!’ There’s a story behind them. While Merrill was busy drawing me, I was telling him about the darn ducks at the lake. They think the  boat dock is their personal poop deck.

NOT! It’s THE boat dock. I’d love those ducks if they would just stay in the lake. They don’t, and when they land on the dock – they POOP! Someone has to clean it up, and  sometimes it’s me.YUCK!

So that’s why Merrill added in the  caption, but I edited his words because it’s NOT the poop deck!

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​ Here’s the display I promised you in the title. I took the first photo a few months ago when I added Merrill’s caricature. The ducks and the giant wine bottle were already there. 

​I bought the wine bottle first because it’s so unusual. I looked at it in a local antique shop for a month or two. It kept calling me until I finally answered yes. I bought it and took it straight to the lake where it sits in a corner by the kitchen table. I’ve had it for a year, and I still love it! I’m glad I finally said yes!

I added the ducks next. They came from Casa Chic in Wapak. They didn’t even have to quack. I thought the bottle needed something beside it. Odd numbers work best for decorating, AND I loved the idea of bringing in two ducks. They’re the source for another lake book.

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​​I got the idea when those darn ducks decided my dock was their poop deck. I added Merrill’s caricature third. I never see possibilities right away, but as soon as I did, I framed his work. It belongs at the lake with those ducks!

Last week I had another great idea. I thought about the hidden compartment and how fun it would be to put something inside. I looked around our lake house and found these two characters. One is a doll made with buttons from my favorite antique shop. The owl came from a critique partner’s store. He’s so cute he didn’t even have to give a hoot to come home with me!
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There’s room in the bottom for two wine glasses. I thought about putting them in, but glass breaks so I didn’t. Also I have a new granddaughter. I’d rather put in things that she can play with. How fun would it be for her to open the bottle and find treasures inside, just for her!