Archive for October, 2008

Dianne Performs “Scared Silly” at Kerner Elementary - Thursday, October 30, 2008

Thursday, October 30th, 2008
Kerner Elementary Welcomes Dianne - 10-30-08

Kerner Elementary Welcomes Dianne - 10-30-08

Friends:

Today I had the pleasure of performing “Scared Silly” to celebrate Halloween at Kerner Elementary in Lafitte, Louisiana. I saw the entire school - K-6 grades in two performances. The first performance was for grades K-3. The students were so enthusiastic and participatory. They were absolutely wonderful and perfectly behaved. Following my show, I had a Q&A session. Several of the teachers told me that their classes would be writing and mailing letters to me. I can’t wait!

Scared Silly for Grades K-3 at Kerner - 10-30-08

Scared Silly for Grades K-3 at Kerner - 10-30-08

After the little ones filed out, it was time for the big kids to come in. I had grades 4-6 for my second show. I adjusted the show to their age level, telling more “mature” spooky stories, including a Louisiana story about a bayou bogie called the “Fifolet.” They were fascinated. While I shared the story, you could hear a pin drop in the cafeteria. It was tons of fun.

Scared Silly for Grades 4-6 at Kerner Elementary - 10-30-08

Scared Silly for Grades 4-6 at Kerner Elementary - 10-30-08

The school could not have been more welcoming. There was a beautiful sign at the front of the school (the first picture you see); assistance unloading, setting up, and packing up my show; AND the cafeteria staff took it upon themselves to feed me! Yum! Thank you to Ms. Bordelon, Ms. Blair, Ms. Callen, Ms. Perrin, and all the teachers at Kerner Elementary. You have a beautiful school and fantastic students.

I hope to visit Kerner Elementary again! What a joyous experience!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Scared Silly at the St. Bernard Parish Library - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Sunday, October 26th, 2008
Eliana the Adorable Witch - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eliana the Adorable Witch - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Friends:

Yesterday, I had a “Scared Silly” show at the Council for Aging in Chalmette sponsored by the St. Bernard Parish Library. It was a full, fun crowd. Eliana came with me and dressed in costume as a witch. Here is Eliana posing for pictures with a fan. Too cute!

Eliana posing with fan - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eliana posing with fan - Saturday, October 25, 2008

I told “The House that Witchy Built,” a story I wrote adapted from the Mother Goose story form of “The House that Jack Built.” I also told my perennially popular “The Viper,” the edge-of-your seat and hilariously funny “Ghost of Mabel Gable,” and “Rap, Rap, Rap.”

Dianne performing "The Viper" - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Dianne performing "The Viper" - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Don’t you love those orange striped socks? Here I am doing a magic trick with an audience member. I love the spiders hanging from the ceiling!

Dianne doing magic with an audience member - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Dianne doing magic with an audience member - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eliana helped me perform my original song, “Shake-A-Shake Them Bones.” It was so much fun!

Eliana and Dianne Shake-A-Shakin' Them Bones - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eliana and Dianne Shake-A-Shakin' Them Bones - Saturday, October 25, 2008

After the show, Eliana changed and chilled out on the front porch swing.

Eliana Chillin' on the Front Porch Swing - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eliana Chillin' on the Front Porch Swing - Saturday, October 25, 2008

Notice that she still has her witch hat on?! LOL She was so cute.

Thank you to Janet Perez of the St. Bernard Parish Library for inviting me and for taking the great pictures of the show! Another special thank you to Susan at the St. Bernard Parish Council for Aging for lending us their building (the library is still in a post-Katrina temporary space that is much too small).

Thank you to my wonderful audience - all the children, parents and grandparents who attended. We had a blast with creepy sound effects, clapping, singing, dancing, and laughing. I look forward to returning to St. Bernard Parish Library!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Eliana’s Spookover - Saturday, October 18, 2008

Monday, October 20th, 2008
Eliana's Spookover Door Sign - October 18, 2008

Eliana's Spookover Door Sign - October 18, 2008

Friends:

Saturday was a blast! The night of my 8 year old daughter, Eliana’s Spookover, finally arrived! Eliana was ready for some swashbuckling fun. Argh, matey!

Pirate Eliana - October 18, 2008

Pirate Eliana - October 18, 2008

We worked all day cleaning, decorating, and cooking. I set up my spooky backdrop and decorated the table full of frightening food - bloody pigs in a blanket, petrifying pizza party pinwheels, Jack-O-Jam cookies, popcorn chicken parts, witches brew and more. Check out the table. I love the mummies marrying under the Tree of Terror.

The Spooktacular Table - October 18, 2008

The Spooktacular Table - October 18, 2008

This is what the Witches Brew (lime sherbet ice cream in 7Up) looked like…

Witches Brew - October 18, 2008

Witches Brew - October 18, 2008

All the girls had their own cups with their names on them. The girls came in costume. They are so adorable!

The Spookover Girls - October 18, 2008

The Spookover Girls - October 18, 2008

No one had the same costume on - we had Hannah Montana, a princess bride, a mermaid, Sharpei from High School Musical, a pirate, a hip hop dancer, an angel, and an aquamarine princess. 8 crazy cuties ready to party! Here’s a parent-to-parent tip: I had all the parents/guardians fill out an emergency card with all their contact numbers on it - just in case…

We began with The Ghoulish Guessing Game. They each had a Halloween monster pinned to their back and they had to ask 10 yes-or-no questions. The first to guess their monster won. Next, we had a costume contest. My mom, Josie; my husband, Antonio; and I were judges. We judged the girls on three categories: creativity, originality, and attitude. Each category was worth 10 points with a total possible score of 90. The judges had score cards that were totaled at the end. The girls strutted down the “runway” and then had to talk about who they were. The pirate won with 79 points with the hip hop dancer and princess bride tied for second place. The girls loved winning prizes.

The Pirate and the Princess Bride - October 18, 2008

The Pirate and the Princess Bride - October 18, 2008

After that we moved on to “Pin the Hat on the Witch.” I made a witch with different colored hats with double stick tape on the back. The girls were blindfolded with a sleeping mask and spun around 6 times. They pinned their hats to the witch. I took pictures of each hat after they were placed so we could remove the hat and judge in the end whose hat was closest. It was funny to see where the hats were placed!

Pin the Hat on the Witch - October 18, 2008

Pin the Hat on the Witch - October 18, 2008

After that, we moved on to The Creepy Clothes Race, a relay game. The girls were divided into teams of two, with four girls on each team. They were given a bag of clothes that contained a hat, a cape, a shirt, shorts, gloves, and a scarf. Each player raced to the opposite side, dressing in the creepy clothes and then raced back, undressing, stuffing the clothing in the bag, and handing it off to the next player. I played “Ghostbusters” as they raced. It was laugh-out-loud zany fun!

Creepy Clothes Race - October 18, 2008

Creepy Clothes Race - October 18, 2008

Our last game was “Keepin’ It Under Wraps,” a wrapping mummy with tissue paper game. Again, the girls were divided into two teams of four girls. The smallest girls on each team were the mummies. The remaining girls on the team were the “wrappers.” Each wrapper was given a roll of cheap toilet paper. They had to wrap the mummy as quickly and as best as they could without the paper ripping, which it did - plenty! It was hilarious. They wrapped and rolled to the song “Monster Mash.” The team with the best looking mummy at the end of the song won.

Keepin It Under Wraps Game - October 18, 2008

Keepin It Under Wraps Game - October 18, 2008

Afterwards, the girls had a massive tissue paper fight. I wish I could be a kid again! Such uninhibited joy!

Tissue Paper Fight - October 18, 2008

Tissue Paper Fight - October 18, 2008

And yes, they helped clean up the mess too - very quickly! After all the games, the girls were ready to settle down and eat.

Then we began crafting. We made Batty Sock Bats from socks, foam, googly eyes, and chenille sticks.

Crafting Batty Sock Bats - October 18, 2008

Crafting Batty Sock Bats - October 18, 2008

These are the finished bats. Aren’t they the most boo-tiful bats you’ve ever seen?!!

Batty Sock Bats - October 18, 2008

Batty Sock Bats - October 18, 2008

Here is a closeup of the bats…

Batty Socks Bats Closeup - October 18, 2008

Batty Socks Bats Closeup - October 18, 2008

Next, we made mummies out of toilet tissue rolls and Boo Bags from white paper lunch bags.

Boo Bags - October 18, 2008

Boo Bags - October 18, 2008

After our creepy crafts, we headed outside to the screened, covered patio for marshmallow roasting and spooky stories. I told several stories including “The Ghost of Mable Gable,” “Bloody Fingers,” “The Ghost with One Black Eye,” and “Blood Red Lips.” The patio was dark except for several lit candles. It was the perfect spookmosphere.

Gathering for Ghost Stories - October 18, 2008

Gathering for Ghost Stories - October 18, 2008

Finally, around 1:30 am, we headed inside and set up the sleeping area on the floor of the living room. Everyone brought their sleeping bags. I put in the movie, Ghostbusters, and all but three girls fell asleep. The last three girls fell asleep around 4:30 am! That meant that I was up with them!

In the morning, Antonio made Eliana’s Devil’s Food Monster Muffins. The girls had a spooktastic time and I was ready for a nap!! LOL Two of the girls had never been to a sleepover and they loved it so much, they want to do it again! (Yes, maybe next year, girls!! hahaha)

Wrapping the Mummy - October 18, 2008

Wrapping the Mummy - October 18, 2008

It was a successful Spookover and Eliana was elated. And that’s all a Mummy can ask for, right?! Happy Spooky Season!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Craft: Wrappin’ Mummy Rolls

Saturday, October 18th, 2008
Wrapping Mummy Roll Craft - October 18, 2008

Wrapping Mummy Roll Craft - October 18, 2008

Wrappin’ Mummy Roll Craft

Supplies:
1 tissue paper roll
Old t-shirt ripped into 1 inch strips or gauze
Pot of old coffee
Large googly eyes
Hot glue

Directions:
To make the t-shirt or gauze look old, soak it in the coffee for 10-20 minutes. Allow to dry. Gluing one end down, wrap a foot long strip around the tissue paper roll. Glue the final end down. Glue large googly eyes to your mummy. Now you have a wrappin’ mummy roll!

Craft: Batty Sock Bat

Friday, October 17th, 2008
Batty Sock Bat Craft - October 17, 2008

Batty Sock Bat Craft - October 17, 2008

Batty Sock Bat Craft

Supplies:
New sock
Fiberfill stuffing
1 large sheet of foam matching the color of sock
1 Red chenille stick
1 chenille stick in a color matching the sock
Two medium size Googly Eyes
White cardstock or index card
Hot glue

Directions:
Stuff one sock with fiberfill about 3/4 full. Tie the end of the sock closed with a matching chenille stick, leaving a long piece to use as a hanger. Cut wings and ears out of foam and hot glue to the body. Glue on Googly Eyes. Cut a small piece of red chenille stick to create a mouth. Cut two sharp fangs out of cardstock or index card. Glue to body. When complete, hang upside down in front of a window. This is a great craft to go with the book, Bats at the Library!

Game: Pin the Hat on the Witch

Friday, October 17th, 2008
Pin the Hat on the Witch Game - October 17, 2008

Pin the Hat on the Witch Game - October 17, 2008

Game: Pin the Hat on the Witch
Supplies:
Poster board
Markers
Construction paper
Double-stick tape
Scarf or sleep mask

Directions:
Directions:
Using a large piece of poster board, draw a witch without a hat. If you are artistically challenged, print out a piece of simple clip art and copy it. Cut out hats out of different color construction paper. You can them or write the children’s names on them if you have duplicate colors. Playing is just like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Place double stick tape on the back of the hats. Hang the witch on the wall. Cover the children’s eyes and spin them 3 times. Closest hat placement wins!

Pin the Hat on the Witch Game - October 17, 2008

Pin the Hat on the Witch Game - October 17, 2008

Craft: Boo Bag

Friday, October 17th, 2008
Boo Bag Craft - October 17, 2008

Boo Bag Craft - October 17, 2008

Craft: Boo Bags
Supplies:
White paper lunch bags
Extra large Googly Eyes
Single hole punch
Long chenille stick (or 2 twisted together)
Black marker

Directions:
Instead of buying expensive, fancy Halloween goody bags, have the children make their own Boo Bags. Open a white paper lunch bag. Roll down the top twice to create a cuff. Flatten the bag and glue extra large Googly Eyes to one side of the bag. Draw a circular mouth underneath with the words BOO! in a speech bubble. Hole punch each side of the cuff and fasten chenille stick, creating a handle. Fill with your favorite goodies! Note: For extra pizzazz, cut arms out of index cards or cardstock and glue them to the sides.

Craft: Ghoulish Guessing Game

Friday, October 17th, 2008
Ghoulish Guessing Game - October 17, 2008

Ghoulish Guessing Game - October 17, 2008

Ghoulish Guessing Game
Supplies:
3X5 index cards
Glue
Clip art of Halloween monsters
Safety Pins

Directions:
This is a fun guessing game, especially for a party or program. Print out clip art of different Halloween creatures (mummy, witch, vampire, bat, jack-o-lantern, ghost, Frankenstein, black cat, scarecrow, skeleton, etc.) and glue to a 3X5

Received 2 Book Contracts in the Mail! - October 9, 2008

Friday, October 10th, 2008
Madame Poule and Monsieur Roach, A New Orleans Folktale

Madame Poule and Monsieur Roach, A New Orleans Folktale

Friends:

Happy Happy Joy Joy! Today, I received 2 book contracts in the mail, one I was expecting and one that was a delightful surprise. I received a new book contract from Libraries Unlimited for Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales and a new picture book with Pelican Publishing Company, Madame Poule & Monsieur Roach. The illustrations for the picture book will be done by Marita Gentry, illustrator of The Cajun Cornbread Boy.

So yes, today was a great day. Jumping up and down, up and down, up and down. And I’m not even dizzy yet! LOL :)

Happy Tales to You! Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

“Scared Silly” at the Gibson Library - October 8, 2008

Thursday, October 9th, 2008
Dianne & Gabby in my Scared Silly Show - October 8, 2008

Dianne & Gabby in my Scared Silly Show - October 8, 2008

Friends:

Today, I performed my “Scared Silly” show at the Gibson Branch Library in Gibson, Louisiana for 50 pre-K and Kindergarten students. We had so much fun with not-so-spooky stories. The children sang, danced, clapped, wiggled, and laughed. Here they are making frightening faces.

Making Frightening Faces - October 8, 2008

Making Frightening Faces - October 8, 2008

After the show, they crowded around for hugs and a big group picture. Say “Halloween!”

Dianne with Pre-K and K Students - October 8, 2008

Dianne with Pre-K and K Students - October 8, 2008

Gibson is in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Terrebonne was one of the parishes hit hardest by Hurricane Gustav in August with severe wind and flood damage. Fortunately, the Gibson library survived. The entire library system is still without Internet. The library sits near the bank of beautiful Bayou Black.

Bridge Over Bayou Black - October 8, 2008

Bridge Over Bayou Black - October 8, 2008

This is the view of the bayou from the bridge that is so narrow, only one vehicle can cross it at a time. I kept waiting for a troll to pop out from underneath the bridge. LOL It was a gorgeous, sunny day. Look at the glass water.

View from Bridge Over Bayou Black - October 8, 2008

View from Bridge Over Bayou Black - October 8, 2008

On my way to Highway 20, I passed a quaint country church. It’s so cute and postcard picturesque.

Cute Country Church - October 8, 2008

Cute Country Church - October 8, 2008

Charlotte, the branch manager, suggested a great place to eat - Wilson’s Country Corner. Charlotte is such a sweetheart. I am always welcomed like family when I visit her library. Thank you, Charlotte! Wilson’s Country Corner was right by the entrance to Highway 90 (my way home) so I had to stop. I ate the best boudin balls and rockin’ roast beef po-boy, dripping with gravy. Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm!

Rockin\' Roast Beef Poboy - October 8, 2008

Rockin' Roast Beef Poboy - October 8, 2008

What a delicious way to end the performance day! Merci beaucoup, Gibson Library. See you next year!

Until next time…

Warmly,
Dianne