We had boxes of these in my house growing up. Do you know what it is? It’s a toothpaste tube roller. My Great Uncle Albert made them—hundreds of them actually. He invented them. I remember going to Uncle Charlie’s inventors’ shop once when I was little. My eyes were just high enough to peer down … More Innovation
In honor of Children’s Book Week, here are 87 great kids’ books. (That should help keep your minions busy this summer.) Bookmark it, load up your library queue, or head to your local bookstore to pick up a few for someone special. Most of these are for younger kids, but if you scroll down to … More Kids’ Books
In honor of Mother’s Day, here are five ladies who taught me about the mother I want to be. Who are your five? Or for the guys, what mom figures most influenced to you?
Once upon a time, there was a hero. (S)he lived in a world where things weren’t perfect, but they were livable. Then something happened to change all that. At first (s)he denied it. Then someone convinced the hero otherwise. (S)he set off to do something. Things challenged the hero along the way. Eventually, (s)he got … More Story
What do you get when you combine these? I wasn’t sure, but I had a blank wall in my guest bedroom and two blank canvases daring me to find out. Time for some DIY wall art. Care to join me? Here’s the step by step.
When I worked at Cranium, I learned a lot about Dr. Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory. It stressed that there are multiple ways to be “smart,” beyond standardized tests for verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematic skills. Gardner demonstrated that humans actually have eight intelligences:
Sometimes you just need a little soul food, a breadcrumb from the universe, a taste of that dream ever waiting beyond the bend. Sunday I enjoyed some much-needed soul food at the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators conference—along with these tasty morsels of encouragement. May they help feed your dream, too.
Moms, why is it so hard to invest in ourselves? Is it parental guilt? A relic notion of “modesty”? A societally ingrained notion of selfishness? Why, even in situations when the return on investment is quite obvious, does this feel so uncomfortable? For instance, this weekend there’s a kids’ book conference, and I dilly dallied … More Return on Investment
Today I’m remembering a great: a great grandma, mom, wife (of 50+ years), friend, community leader, youth mentor, bowler, shorthandist, cook … just an all-around great woman. You know that phrase, “They don’t make them like they used to.” That pretty much sums up Shirley. We lost her a year ago today, and I’m been feeling a … More 9 Secrets to Being Great
Names. They’re one of the first big decisions you have to make as a parent. They’re also a big decision in business. So, what’s in a name? In essence, it’s an inkling of who you are or what you offer. The same holds true for your business name, product name, or even your title. What … More What’s in a Name?
My Castle Heart Publications 