"Mermaid Dreams"

"Mermaid Dreams" framed print

To commemorate the launching of my new book with Christina Crook, I'd Like To Be A Mermaid, I am making the title illustration for sale in print form and on clothing products, as well as other things. You can visit the Mermaid Dreams shop in Pear Place Studio to see the offerings.

And thanks to my many friends and family members who have purchased a copy of the book. It's been thrilling for me.

New Beginnings

"Mermaid In South Carolina"

Remember this post from last April, "Change Is In The Wind?" Well, the change is coming to pass. In two short days, I'll be taking up residency in North Charleston, South Carolina. This is a change that has been in the making for all that time. 

With this change is the desire to start fresh; start new. And in so doing, I'm discovering that what's old is new again, like my name. Two years after my divorce, I'm no longer feeling so "crabulous" and I have this urge to be the person I was born to be. So with that, I am returning to the name on my birth certificate, Kris Teena Morgan. A crabulous life has become a colorful life and crabulous fine art is being replaced with Pear Place Studio.

As someone pointed out, Kris Teena Morgan doesn't have quite the same ring as Kristeena Crabb, but it is my ring and it has the ring of truth. 

New city, new job, new car, new dog, new home and new name. What new adventures will come with all this?

Blue Starfish

Sometimes I get a kick on things and I just can't stop. From blue crabs, I have ventured to blue starfish. Same idea. 

Products with this design can be found at "shop crabulous!"

T-shirts, bags, mugs, housewares, kids

Blue Crab

Of course it had to happen! Crab meets Tangy Zoodle! A crabulous new crab just in time for summer. Available on T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, BBQ aprons and many other items as well. It's all in "shop crabulous!"

You can click here to see other styles

You can click here to see shirts in all styles for all sizes and genders

Lot's of cute bags to see by clicking here

Be Brilliant

Yesterday I was unenthusiastically making a list of "things to do" and feeling a little overwhelmed by the mundanities of life. Without thinking I added one last item to the list, "be brilliant." I'm not sure where that came from, but it picked me up throughout the day. I find that when I'm not being creative, I mentally curl up into a fetal position and life becomes less bearable. My subconscious was reminding me to put creativity on my list of things to do. I think everyone should do this; be just a little creative every day... one sketch, one poem, one song, one flower arrangement... creation is wonderful for the psyche.

Happy Birthday, Max!

                           

Because of the unique position in which I was standing and because of the unique position in which he chose to enter this world, I was the first human to lay eyes upon my grandson, Maxwell Morgan Crabb. It is a moment which I will cherish forever. 

The nurses at the hospital made fun of me because I was wishing that Max would be born before midnight so that he could have the mathematical anomaly of a birthday that was an equation: 5-7-12. But it was not to be. Max was born on 5-8-12. The nurses; however, were the first to console me when Max arrived on the scene at 4:37 am.

Everyones initial shock was that Max was a redhead. It was apparent as soon as they cleaned him up. We were not expecting that, even though redheads run in my family. I had given up on redheads when both of my boys were born blond. I was immediately delighted.

I was lucky enough to share Max's first week of life with him, even if I haven't been as close in the aftermath. The biggest hurdle in my decision to move away was how in the world I would cope living so far away from my beautiful grandson. However, I knew that the sooner I did it, the better; before we had a chance to really bond. It has only been in the last couple of months that Max has called me by name during video chats, and when I visited recently he expressed sadness at my leaving. He is growing up knowing a long distance grandmother; it would have been much tougher if I'd left when he was the age he is now... 3 years old.

Because of the difficult circumstances, I've not ever been able to attend any of Max's birthday parties, but I'm always keenly aware of his birthday and I relive the moment of his entry into our lives. Since his arrival, none of our lives have ever been the same

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Miss Ruby

"Miss Ruby" enhanced digital photo

I had to act quickly to find a new vehicle; after all, the insurance company of the guy who hit me wasn't going to let me drive that rental car forever. I have to admit, though, that the rental company was a little surprised when I returned it as I'd had it for three weeks. In their business that almost IS forever!

If I had had the luxury to truly research a new car and to visit umpteen dealerships and test drive a couple dozen cars, that would have been one thing. But I didn't have that luxury. So based on a few extenuating circumstances, I settled pretty quickly on a Ford Focus. Before I test drove one, I had decided the color I wanted was ruby red. I was tired of silver. All of my cars have been either white or silver, with the exception of one blue Mercury which I always hated so it doesn't count. When I look out my apartment window at the parking lot, all I see is silver, silver, silver. So, ruby red was a must. 

I had had some previous experience with the Ford Focus via my son and was already impressed with the car, but when I test drove it, I was a little dubious about the shudder it makes in first gear. I looked at the salesman (who hails from Bulgaria) and said, I'd like this in a stick shift. Does it come that way? He looked at me dubiously (dubiousness reigns in this scenario) and he said of course, but I was the first woman who ever asked him that.

He was able to locate a ruby red, hatchback stick shift at a dealership less than 500 miles away, but he must have asked me 10 times if I was sure I wanted a stick shift. Oh, little man, don't trifle with me.

The day the car arrived, he got into the passenger seat while I drove us around the neighborhood. He was remarkably impressed. I love it when that happens.

Of course I had to name her Miss Ruby. It's more than just her color, though. One of the things I loved about my ex was his sense of play. Once, while vacationing in Bermuda with another couple, he decided we all needed redneck names and we should go around speaking in hillbilly accents. (I know that this is not politically correct, but suspend yourself for a bit, if you will.) The game was easy to play because all the guys were named Earl. Somehow, the wife of the other couple became Nadine and I was Ruby. That name stuck with me throughout all future redneck role playing scenarios. (I guess you had to be there.) For that reason, I have always related to that name. Well, always being since the year 2000.

Although Ruby and I will never make it to Bermuda (there's a moratorium on cars there) I know that we will have many adventures together.