Mumbling Monday - Who I Am And How I Started Book Blogging

Who I Am And How I Started Book Blogging

(the art of me by me from my many Christmas cards)

I think I have written posts like this before but it has been a while so I thought why not do it again. 

My name is Shannon McGee. I sometimes go as Confuzzled Shannon on line. I am an artist, reader, blogger, daughter, sister, and wife. I am all those things and probably more. Not only do I have a big imagination that I use to draw and paint but my imagination also brings trouble to my brain in the form of a mental illness called schizophrenia. Sometimes my brain likes to make things up that have not happened. So my imagination is a blessing and a curse. 

I have been an avid reader as long as I have been able to read. Spending much of my time in my local library and hours reading in my room as a child. As an adult I know I don’t read as much because I have adult chores and worries. The older I seem to get the shorter time goes. 

I still love reading as much as I can and I love to share my thoughts with others. Before I had started this book blog I had mostly sites with art I had. During the rise of Live journal I made icons for others to use and posted them on an Angelfire website. I had another site where I drew what is called dollz. My dollz site was called dragonz and dollz. These sites are gone and probably one day this blog will be lost too but for now, I enjoy posting here. It has been over 10 years that I have had this blog. I am not good at planning celebrations even if it is only to type “Hey it’s the blog’s anniversary!” or “Hey it’s my birthday!” (which is actually Tuesday!).

Anyway this just a post that’s saying I am still here, the blog is still here and what to tomorrow may hold for either… who knows. Enjoy today! Happy Monday my confuzzled people!

Finished Reading This Week

The Electric Heir by Victoria Lee (#2 FeverWake series)

I enjoyed this series although still feel like the 1st book in the series was the better. But I do love the characters Noam, and Dara. I haven’t read many stories with LGBTQ couples and the ones I have read rarely seem believable as a couple. Noam and Dara are one of the rare ones that I feel fit together well. I would have liked to see more magic and a lot less seeing the good guys get their asses handed to them. 

Other Stuff I Did This Week

Binged Watched 

The Big Bang Theory - Season 12

I was late to the party with watching TBBT. For some reason, I did not like it when it was still on but now I love it. I don’t know why I did not think it was funny. Now it is like a comfy blanket. I am sad I finished. I guess now its time to start watching Sheldon, it’s spin-off. 

Sorry To Bother You on Hulu

This was one my hubby wanted to see because he heard it was really good. I was good and definitely had a message and decided to make it with a really weird story. I mean it’s really weird.

Art I Made

(done by me, Shannon McGee)

I painted this in acrylics and I call the “3 Cute Evils”. We got Gizmo, Stitch and The Child (aka baby Yoda). I need to do more painting and I don’t think I am finished with this one yet. Got to touch up some stuff.

Shannon's Review - Little Mouse's Painting by Diane Wolkenstein

Title: Little Mouse’s Paining
Series: None
Author: Diane Wolkstein
Illustrator: Diane Wolkstein
Genre: Fiction, Children’s, Picture Book, Animals, Art
Publisher: HarperCollins
Received: Bought
Release Date: April 1992
Pages: ??
Rating:






Author Diane Wolkstein Official Websites:


(November 11, 1942 – January 31, 2013)

Website:
None active

Blog:
None active

Facebook:
None active

Twitter:
None active

Instagram:
None active


Shannon’s Thoughts:

Little Mouse is an artist and loves to paint. Three of Mouse’s friends visit and each friend sees something different from the painting Mouse has painted. Each friend sees themselves in the painting although Mouse did not paint the picture with them in mind. The painting becomes special for all four of them for different reasons.

This book has two things that caught my eyes. One it a kid's book which I love. Two it’s got the mouse is an artist and I am an artist. The art for this book is so detailed and story so sweet. I love how each character saw something different in painting.

I have seen some reviews that people did not like there were so many words for a picture book and I will say when I pick it up a glance through I felt the same. Although once I read it, that did not matter. It reads easily and with art so detailed the story should mirror that.

Toddlers will enjoy the book but those starting schools might connect with it more. A beautiful work of art in many ways.

Mumbling Monday - Money On The Brain

Money On The Brain

It is stressful when you are having money problems. I keep trying to wrack my brain on how to get my art and painting out there and make money somehow. I have tried sending my writing places but my writing is not good enough. But hell you know that if you are reading this blog. I am no grammar genius. I write how I talk and do reread and edit my writing but I miss stuff all the time. I trying to learn to budget especially with grocery shopping. We do Hello Fresh every week for 3 days but I am thinking it is time to end that. It is a great subscription box and it has helped us eat a little better and healthier. If anyone has any links to cheap healthy all day meal planners please share. 

Finished Reading this week

The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes

An interesting 160-page novel. About a man and his relationships throughout his life. There were definitely areas where I could relate to the main character and not in good ways. I read this for a book club I was in but probably will not continue. 

Other Stuff I Did This Week

Binge Watching

The Dead Zone: Season 4 (Amazon Prime)

I finished the 4th season. My favorite episode from the season was episode 5: Heroes & Demons. About an autistic boy who uses the art of Lord Of The Rings to communicate.

Life In Pieces (CBS)

I am kinda sad this show has ended. It had a good 4 seasons but I wished for longer. If you have never watched it was a comedic show about 4 families intertwined. I loved the comedy and quirky characters. 

Overlord

This was hubby’s pick. It is basically a sci-fi movie taking place during WWII in France. It was kinda boring the first half of the movie and I did not get really into it until the actor who plays Fitz on Agents Of Shield turned….ill. It also had Wyatt Russell who is Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell’s son.

Overboard (Amazon Prime)

This is a remake of a 1980’s movie with the gender roles swapped. The original, of course, is so much better. This version was not horrible but was missing a lot of the chemistry that was in the original. There was also much more reading involved then I expected as some of the characters speak Spanish. 

Spiderman Into The Spider-Verse (Netflix)

This movie was good but it was so hyped up I wanted to be more than it was. Probably would have been best to see in the theatre.

The Spy Who Dumped Me (Amazon Prime and Hulu)

This was an okay movie. The spy parody movies are overdone to me. Some ha ha moments but a lot of bullshit moments as well.

Just my imagination

A frequent customer bought two boxes this week. The one with the owl on top (picture below) And one personalize for someone (also below) The custom one features the persons’ cat named Pretty Girl. She also collects American eagle figures and perfume bottles. That is why Pretty Girl is nuzzling the eagle inside the box. I painted colorful perfume bottles around the sides of the box.

Shannon's Review - Thérèse Makes a Tapestry by Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs

Title: Thérèse Makes a Tapestry

Series: N/A

Author: Alexandra S.D. Hinrichs

Genre:  Fiction, Childrens, Picture Book,

Publisher: Getty Publications

Received: From Publisher/Author For Review

Release Date: March 2016

Pages: 40

Rating:

Author Official Alexandra S.D. Hinrichs’s Websites:

Website

http://alexandrahinrichs.com/

Blog

http://alexandrahinrichs.com/blog/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/alexandrasdhinrichs

Twitter

https://twitter.com/PuddleReader

Shannon’s Thoughts:

Therese lives with a family of artists in 17th century France.  Her brother are tapestry weavers and painters. Her father is a painter for King Louis the XVI. Her father gives her a painting as gift and she loves it so much she wants to give him something just as meaningful.  She decides she wants to create a tapestry of the painting to give him. This is unusual because girls do not make tapestries only the men do.  Her mother encourages her to make it as her brothers scoff her.

The illustrations are beautiful and capture the beauty of the time.  I love the fact that Therese is doing something that girls or women do not normally do and does better than others expected. So well that even the King is in awe.

This is usually where I list what I did not like about the book. To be honest there is nothing I can think of in general but I do not feel the that the book is 5 stars for me.  I mean the art is lovely, the writing is okay and together you feel like you are learning from both. I feel this is for children a little older than a 2 or 3 year old. While it is a interesting story I am not sure some toddlers are going to follow the story and stay interested.

Again the writing and illustration together really did fit well.  If only all picture books could find perfect partnerships of writer and artist.

Sketchy Saturday - Release The Demon

Today is Sketchy Saturday.  The day I draw some fan art of a scene in a book am reading or just finished.  Feel free to join in and leave links in the comments.

Todays sketch is called "Release The Demon", which is based off a scene in a short story by Kelly Armstrong called Lucifer's Daughter.  The story is featured in Blood Lite II.

Sketchy Saturday - Babe And Truman

Sketchy Saturday

On Sketchy saturdays I plan on drawing something inspired from a current book I may be reading.  Feel free to join in and share a link of your own work as well. :-)

(Truman Capote and Babe Paley by S.M. McGee)

Right now I am in the middle of The Swans Of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin.   It is historical fiction featuring people that truly existed and events that for the most part may have happen.  This piece of fan art I have drawn socialite Babe Paley with close friend and author Truman Capote.   This is actually a scene from the book as Truman lays his head in Babe’s lap just comforting and being their true selves with each other. This image  just stood out to me because there was so many feelings happening at once. It just rang true.  

If you would like see more about The Swans Of Fifth Avenue check out Melanie Benjamin’s Official Site.

Shannon's Review - The Enchanted World Of Jessica Galbreth

Title: The Enchanted World Of Jessica Galbreth

Series: N/A

Author: Jessica Galbreth

Genre: Art, Fantasy

Publisher:  Chimera Publishing

Received: as present

Release Date: July 2006

Pages: 160

Rating:

Shannon’s Thoughts:

Reviewing a art book is a little difficult. I am reviewing both the description of the art and the drawings themselves. What makes it hard is that every image is so beautiful that it hard to come up with so many adjectives to describe the awesomeness.

 As I flip through pictures of different fairies and mermaids I am inspired to create similar fantasy art. Looking at the wonderful watercolors I am drawn to how each composition comes together.  One of my struggles with painting is blending a background that goes with the images in the foreground.  

Jessica Galbreth has a well known style. You can see with each fairy how they seem to come from the same family or imagination.   

I hope studying this art helps me with my own art.  Only time will tell. I also hope to see more of Jessica Galbreth’s paintings in years to come.

Jessica Galbreth Official Websites:

Official Website:

http://www.thevintageangel.com/

Blog

N/A

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/TheVintageAngel

Twitter

https://twitter.com/jessicagalbreth

Picture This - Nursing A Grudge by Diana Orgain

Do you ever have images stuck in your head from books you have read?  I do and since I am an artist as well as reader/writer I decided to use my talents to promote the books I am reading. 

Today's Picture This is from a cozy mystery called Nursing A Grudge by Diana Orgain.

This image is my view of main character Kate Connelly picking a lock for the first time trying to gain info from another P.I.

by Shannon M. McGee

Shannon's Review - Healing With The Arts by Michael Samuels and Mary Lockwood Lane

Title:  Healing With The Arts

Series:  N/A

Authors:  Michael Samuels and Mary Lockwood Lane

Genre:  Self Improvement, Art, Non-Fiction

Publisher: Atria Books/ Beyond Words

Received: NetGalley

Release Date: November 2013

Pages: 256

Rating:

Author’s Websites:

Michael Samuels Official Site

http://www.michaelsamuels.com/

Michael Samuels Blog

http://www.healingwiththearts.com/blog//

Mary Lockwood Lane Official Site

http://www.maryrockwoodlane.com/

Shannon Thoughts:

Healing With The Arts is a is a creative art therapy book that spans over weeks.  Each week ends with an overview of the weekly art project shared in each chapter.  

Having been in a few places that have art therapy classes, I think this book is a treasure. The projects were not too hard and fun to do.  I love the idea of creating art from visualized mediation.  I feel that so much good can come from any form of art therapy, therefore this book has something special. I may not have done every project but I read them and visualized what it would be like to do them or teach them.  Healing With The Arts is a rare book because I don’t feel there are many based on arts healing people.

Since what I read was an advanced readers copy in ebook format there were errors and such.   I only assume they will be fixed in the actual copy that should be out now.

Healing With The Arts is great book for those looking to become more creative and is somewhat similar to books like, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.   It is also useful for art therapists that help those heal in hospitals or classes.

Picture This - Universe Versus Alex Woods

Alex Woods Fan Art drawn by Shannon McGee

I just finished The Universe Versus Alex Woods.   A excellent read about a boy coming of age and really becoming himself. I will have review later.   Above is a drawing I did of what I think Alex looks like. The books are samples of what he was interested in learning or exploring.

If you are interested we are giving away 2 copies of The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence.  http://confuzzledbooks.blogspot.com/2013/06/giveaway-universe-versus-alex-woods-by.html

Picture This - Royality Rules! Anastasia Romanov

Right now I am reading The Secret Plot to Save the Tsar by Shay McNeal.

I have always had a connection to the Romanov family especially Anastasia.  She loved drawing and painting as do I and she was a big goof from what I understand.

I drew the picture above and decided that this would look good on a shirt and maybe I could do some other Royal art.

If anyone is interested I made t-shirt, mugs, tote bag and binders with the image above on Zazzle.

Go to the line below to check out the items I am selling.

http://www.zazzle.com/confuzzleddesigns

Sunday Salon - Books Full of Art and Knowledge

Last weekend my hubby and I went to an art exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

I bought the book (image and name above) that went with the exhibit.  When you go to these side exhibits that are not there all the time you get a set a head phones that give you a personal tour of the exhibit.

I love books and seeing books with art a double plus.  Now Gauguin, Cézanne, and Matisse are not my favorite artist from that period I am a  fan of George Seurat.  Seurat does get talked about a little in the exhibit and book.  

This exhibit, called Visions Of Arcadia, were mostly painting of bathers in a garden of paradise (image below).  Some were just landscapes.

(The Large Bathers by Cezanne)

I wish I could tell you more about the history but I don't remember too much from the exhibit (sometimes I wish I had a photographic memory).   That is another reason I wanted the book.

I took art history class in college but frankly I remember none of it..well maybe a little.  Studying for a test was major pain but I still have fond memories about studying and being in the class.  

It was still fun and looking forward to go to another one soon. :-)

Picture This - Three Eyed Crow and Bran Stark - Game of Thrones

Since I am reading Game of Thrones at the moment.  The character that is sticking my head the most is Bran and the 3 eyed crow.  So this is my sketch.  I keep making the crow look like a duck so there was issue there. 

Picture This - Hunger Games

This is something new I am trying.   Picture This will be samples of my art or sketches (like this) from books I am reading.  Right now I am reading the Hunger Games and the image of Katniss shooting a bow and arrow at the apple on the gamemaker's table because she upset they are not paying any attention to her skill.

I quickly sketched this as the scene wouldn't leave my mind.  Very powerful scene.

Happy Turkey Day in the U.S.!!

Review: The Paper Garden by Molly Peacock

Title: The Paper Garden
Series: N/A
Author: Molly Peacock
Genre: Biography, Art   
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Received: From Publicist for Review
Release Date: October 2010
Pages: 416
Rating:


What is it About?
Poignant  memoir on artist Mary Granville Pendarves Delany and her life parallels to author Molly Peacock.

My Thoughts:

The title of this book is The Paper Garden : An Artist Begins Her Life’s Work At 72.  I want to state for those, like me, who had never hear of the artist Mary Granville Pendarves Delany technically she did not become an artist at 72 which is the impression I gathered from the title.  So just in case you thought the same that would be false.  She studied early on in life with art but the craft of Mosaic collage is what she know for starting especially depicting flowers in way no one had done before.  The works she did create where great in number and in detail from age 72 and on.

The book jumps back and forth between the artist, author and work of art.  Making layers of complex parallels.  Both artist and author had the blueprints of what would bring them together young in life.  Mary learned her art studied early in life.  She also had a love of gardens.  Molly had a love for art, writing and somehow always finding Mrs. Delany popping up in her life.

The book in some ways... well I hate to use the word dry but that is what I come up with.  I guess a better way to describe it would be so intelligent it goes over my head at some points.  That does not mean I did not like reading or enjoy it. It just means that well... I skimmed a lot.  When I do not understand something I tend to shake my head a smile, so I feel I did that with this book but I also feel I grasped the essence of it.  I think I did anyway.  
Each chapter had a way of becoming it’s own work of art as it worked in the parallel of the art the and the lives of the artists. I can see how some say this was like a collage about collage but very high class, which what Mary Delany was part of.  I think those with a higher understanding of words and art will enjoy this book maybe even love it.  I have to take it down a notch for going over my head though but still I learned things.


Website:

Author Molly Peacock’s Official Website
http://www.mollypeacock.org/