YIKES!

Hi friends. Wow where has the time gone? Seems like just yesterday that I posted the last blog entry and well... it's been 10(yes 10!!) days since I posted that entry!! YIKES!! So sorry!! Little Lilly Polka Dot is still living in her polka dot world...eating polka dot toast, dressing in her polka dot dresses, filling her polka dot back pack up with good yummy polka dot snacks to take to school and hauling Marshmallow, her polka dotted kitty, around like a sack of potatoes. Of course, Marshmallow loves the attention and just purrs as she gets carried from room to room and plopped down wherever Little Lilly Polka Dot stops to play. Most of the time, Marshmallow is recruited as Little Lilly's play buddy and suffers the indignity of whatever happens to her while serving in this capacity. I just love being in the house with these two- they are so entertaining.

Anyway, just checking in. It's late here in sunny Florida and I need to get some beauty sleep. It's back to the artist's drawing board tomorrow so I can try to get the illustrations for the Halloween story done!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Much love, Wendy

Drawing!!

Hi friends. I am having a drawing for some lucky gal to win this beautiful necklace by designer Wendy Reed(www.wendyreedjewelry.com). It is sterling silver with a non-tarnish finish and has a smoky quartz gem!! (the gem shown in the picture is NOT smoky quartz). To enter,  go to the website www.littlelillypolkadot.com and click on the CONTACT US words at the bottom of the screen, fill out the form, CLICK the send button and you will be entered for the drawing. The drawing will be October 19, 2011. You will be notified via e-mail if you are the winner and the item will be sent to you.

 ,

THANKS for participating!!
Love, Wendy!

Another Great Review!

Hi friends. So many thanks to Mary Bearden of www.mmbearcupoftea.com who wrote a very very nice review about the Little Lilly Polka Dot website. I and Little Lilly Polka Dot appreciate it so much!! Here is part of the review. Please go to her blog to read the rest. And THANKS for your support!!

This is the cutest little website I have come across for children! I don't have any kids at home but I got my grandson who lives in South Carolina to get his mom to let him watch this and even though it is about a girl he laughed so much his mom said it was infectious and she broke out laughing with him!

This website is all about children and you gotta let them watch at least once. When I was first approached about doing a review on a blog and not a product I was a little apprehensive because I would not have any pictures to show and I really had none for this at all except I copied her button and put it here. Of course it does not work being inside of a review or else I just don't know how to get it to work. The link is further down in bold purple lettering.

I hope you stop by her website and follow her and also let your children go and watch her wonderful website she created just for our children where all the activities are for them to sing, play and just have fun!

Make sure you and your kids visit the site at www.littlelillypolkadot.com!!

Have a happy polka dotted day!!
Love, Wendy

Getting It Together

Hi friends. THANK you so much for your patience as I go through the process of getting Little Lilly Polka Dot up and running in all areas. I have a wonderful new banner on the FB fan page. It was done by Kate Wilber of The Marketing Momma( www.themarketingmomma.com). She did a fabulous job I think!! THANKS Kate!! Here is a jpg of it :

Isn't it just perfect?

Little Lilly Polka Dot votes "yes"!!

Have a good evening!!

Love, Wendy

Review by Insights by April

Hi friends. There was a wonderful review on the Little Lilly Polka Dot website and blog done by April at Insights by April. www.insightsbyapril.blogspot.com. Little Lilly Polka Dot is so excited!! Please check it out!!
Love, Wendy

Fantastic Facebook Pages

Hi friends. You know I was thinking there really are some fantastic Facebook pages related to children's items and services. I was excited to see so many children's museums in this country. One that looks interesting is The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York . It is a history museum that engages kids of all ages with hands-on exhibits.It features the National Toy Hall of Fame; and the world’s largest collection of toys, dolls & games. What fun for Little Lilly Polka Dot!! There is a children's museum in just about every major city of the United States- Boston Children's Museum, Children's Museum of Chicago, National Children's Museum,  Children's Museum of Houston, Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta, just to name a few. In 2009, the National Children's Museum  opened the Launch Zone at National Harbor, a new 2,700 square-foot space on Waterfront Street, where kids can prototype exhibit areas, share their ideas about what should be included in the new Museum, and participate in fun and educational programs.How exciting. I need to take Little Lilly Polka Dot for a tour of all these fun places. I know she'll ask me where all the polka dots are!!!

Then, of course there are all of the fun children's character and TV show pages. There is one for Strawberry Shortcake, Thomas the Train, Charlie and Lola(great British characters), Holly Hobbie and many others!!  There are the children's book pages- Pinkalicious, Splat the Cat, Skippyjon Jones( I call my chihuahua Chippyjon Jones since we call him Chippy for short- and by the way I have a Siamese cat also!!).

And definitely I would like to mention......Little Lilly Polka Dot's page-www.facebook.com/littlelillypolkadot . Please visit it and give her a big LIKE since she's so LIKEABLE!!

Anyway these are just a few. I could go on and on but Little Lilly Polka Dot and Marshmallow want their dinner!! I guess I'll fix polka dot lasagna!!! YUMMY!!

Until tomorrow,
Love, Wendy

Official Polka Dot Day

Hi friends. Little Lilly Polka Dot got out of bed this morning and announced that this is Official Polka Dot Day! How's that for a fun way to start the day! I went along with it and fixed polka dotted toast for her breakfast. Marshmallow even got a piece!! YUMMY. Then off went Little Lilly Polka Dot to her polka dotted schoolhouse, skipping merrily along, for a fun-filled day of learning with her friends. She told me that she is expecting all of her friends to honor this special polka dotted day. So put on your best polka dotted clothes, get into your polka dotted cars, don your polka dotted sunglasses, run your polka dotted errands and spread some polka dotted fun!! Greet everyone you see with "Isn't this a lovely polka dotted day!". WHAT FUN!!

I also thought you might be interested  in a little bit of polka dot trivia. Did you know that polka dots first became common on clothing in the late 19th century in Britain? Yep! The pattern is named for the polka since the dance was popular at the time the pattern became popular.  Professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes wore a black outfit covered in yellow polka dots, which became his signature. Blues guitarist Buddy Guy strums away on a guitar painted black with cream polka dots. Fashion designer Carolina Herrerra used polka dots on most of her dresses in the late 80s and early 90s. In the 1960s there was a very popular song entitled "Isty Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini". Frank Sinatra's first hit recorded with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra was entitled "Polka Dots and Moonbeams".  So there you go!!

Well gotta run. With lots of polka dotted love, Wendy

Calling all teachers

Hi friends. For those of you who are teachers, please read the review I've posted below done by www.teachersfirst.com. I am certainly grateful for this!! It makes all of the hard work worthwhile. I do hope lots of teachers use the www.littlelillypolkadot.com site in their classrooms!!

Little Lilly Polka Dot - Wendy Grimm

Grades

K to 1

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This site offers several resources for early readers including alphabet learning tools, number matches, and a story book. In Learning Tools, students roll over letters of the alphabet...less

This site offers several resources for early readers including alphabet learning tools, number matches, and a story book. In Learning Tools, students roll over letters of the alphabet to hear the letter names (turn up the speakers). The games portion has a very simple number puzzle to put numbers 1-4 into place. The activities section has printable coloring pages. Be sure to check out the book, a story about Lilly Polka Dot and her fear of going to the doctor. The book provides audio or the sound can be turned off for someone else to read. tag(s): alphabet (41), numbers (105), phonics (32)

In the Classroom

Share the book on your interactive whiteboard or projector during a health unit for students to learn that going to the doctor isn't scary. Create links to the alphabet and number activities on classroom computers for students to practice. Write (and decorate) your own Lilly Polka Dot stories. Provide this link on your class website for students (and parents) to easily access at home.

 This resource requires Adobe Flash. 

 

 

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Love, Wendy

Some Wonderful Reviews

Hi friends. This has been a great few days at the Little Lilly Polka Dot household! Sunshine Publications, which has a website dedicated to celebrating children's books, did a wonderful review of the Little Lilly Polka Dot site and blog. And here it is, courtesy of Sunshine Publications(www.sunshinepublications.com) ENJOY!

Little Lilly Polka Dot

posted 9 Sep 2011 13:10 by Sunshine Smile Publications

Wendy Reed is the author and illustrator who has created the children's picture book Little Lilly's Polka Dot World. 

Wendy has artfully woven into a fun and colorful book about a character named Little Lilly Polka Dot, a lesson for children that going to the doctor is not so scary.

Wendy has also developed a fantastic interactive website,  which is found at www.littlelillypolkadot.com. The website has animation with voice and narration by little 8-year-old Ruby Davenport. Children visiting the site can play a puzzle game, learn the alphabet, print out colouring pages and either read the e-book or listen to the narrated version. There are also wall prints for children's bedrooms that can be downloaded, printed, framed and hung!  Wendy also has started a wonderful blog which will feature mini-stories along with illustrations as well as guest bloggers.  Make sure you and your children visit the site and the blog to get to know Little Lilly Polka Dot and her polka dotted kitty, Marshmallow! You can also find Little Lilly Polka Dot on Facebook.

Last Days of Summer

Hi friends! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Little Lilly Polka Dot went to the beach(we live near the ocean) in her little polka dotted bathing suit with her rather large polka dotted beach bag. Of course we all what was in it- a polka dotted beach blanket, a polka dotted beach pail, a polka dotted beach umbrella, and a polka dotted beach chair. She was all POLKA DOTTED out!! Marshmallow, her kitty, stayed home and snoozed on the comfy bed all day long. She woke up a couple times, uttered a short meow, and curled back up for some more snoozies. What a life!! I have been mulling over ideas for a new story. Halloween is coming and that would be a fun storyline!! So, my little pumpkins, pay attention to this blog and you'll get to read another one of Little Lilly Polka Dot's adventures.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VISIT THE WEBSITE AT WWW.LITTLELILLYPOLKADOT.COM.

Your kids will love it!! And PLEASE send me some comments. I always read them to Little Lilly Polka Dot. They make her very happy!!

Love, Wendy

Expect Miracles

Hi friends. I hope everyone is having a great Saturday. Have you spent it with llloved ones? Have you reflected on how lucky we all really are? We are so fortunate here in this country. And I am grateful. Though we all have our share of some kind of hardship, we can and should focus on the things we have in abundance......things like the sunshine, the birds, the grass and the blue sky. Or whatever else you can think of to be thankful for. I always expect miracles of some sort. I'm not really talking about the big dramatic ones that make people say " I knew God was real" but the little ones like the birth of a healthy baby, or  the bees working their way among the roses in a beautiful English garden, or the first flight of a fledgling robin. I know this is a sorrowful weekend and the terrible events of 9/11 should be remembered, but we should also remember that life does go on in a very grand way. And, despite the sorrows, love and kindness do survive it all.

Oh and by the way, I'm grateful to be able to bring you the stories of Little Lilly Polka Dot and her kitty Marshmallow.

SO LET'S CELEBRATE WITH JOY!!

Love, Wendy

If Children Live With Love

Hi Friends. This poem was on the Little Lilly Polka Dot Facebook page this morning. Blue Mountain Arts posted it and it is right on the money! I just had to post it because this is what Little Lilly Polka Dot is all about!!
So here goes:

If children live with tolerance they learn to be patient.

If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with honesty and fairness, they learn what truth and justice are.

If children live with friendliness, they learn that the world is a nice place to live.

If children live with serenity, they learn to have peace of mind.

Are your children living with all of these things?

Lost in Polka Dot Land

Hello friends! Wow the days have gotten away from me. I have been immersed in books having to do with social media campaigning and trying to figure how to do a better job at it!! I'm on information overload!! And I know that I have promised a new story with illustrations soon, very soon!! Please do take your little ones to the Little Lilly Polka Dot website. They'll love it! (www.littlelillypolkadot.com) It's loads of fun with animation, a game, learning tools, activities and a narrated version of the book Little Lilly's Polka Dot World!  I sorely need some feedback so I can continue to be enthusiastic about the Little Lilly project I have undertaken!! So thank you all for comments!!

Anyway.....I'd really really like some ideas from someone...(anyone) about the direction of my blog and how I can help you be a better mom by developing Little Lilly Polka Dot as  a good character for your kids to be entertained and educated by!! And I do incorporate good values!! They are so important. Also... do you have any ideas for products other than books??

Anyway  it's late and time to get some sleep!! Here are a couple more pages of the book.......

Kisses to the little ones!! May they have sweet dreams!!

xo- Wendy

The Polka Dotted Schoolhouse

Hi friends!  Little Lilly Polka Dot skipped merrily off to school today. OF COURSE the schoolhouse is painted with polka dots! Marshmallow trotted alongside for a little ways, but came running back when she got a whiff of her breakfast. When Little Lilly Polka Dot got home she gulped down a glass of milk, ate some polka dotted cookies, and went straight to her polka dotted bedroom. She says she is doing some polka dotted drawings like her mom! Isn't that cute!  I wanted to show you her desk and her phone because I just can't get over how great they are for her!!

Are these cool or what!!! I'm sure everyone reading this has seen Little Lilly's book-Little Lilly's Polka Dot World- but if you or your child has not seen it, please go to the website www.littlelillypolkadot.com and check it out! There is even a narrated version. Little Ruby Davenport did such a great job!! She really put her heart in it.  I'm posting the first couple of pages so you can get some idea of how cute it is!! Your kids will love it!!

Remember- a HUG IS LOVE!!

Tune in tomorrow for more polka dotted fun!!

xo-Wendy

www.littlelillypolkadot.com

Good Advice Gentle Reader

 I think this is a wonderful little passage to remember:

If I had my child to raise all over again, I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later. I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less. I would do less correcting and more connecting. I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes. I'd take more hikes and fly more kites. I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play. I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars. I'd do more hugging and less tugging. 

-- Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

And remember what Little Lilly Polka Dot says:

A HUG IS LOVE!! 

 

It's Time to Tell You

Hi friends. I have decided that I need to tell you about me and about how my precious Little Lilly Polka Dot came to be -as well as my BIG hopes for her.

First, you need to know that I am a horrific overachiever who has always had huge -and we're talking HUGE plans- for my life.  By most people's standards I have lived a life up to this point that is grander than grand. My careers have always been SERIOUS careers-I was an interior designer who designed homes for some pretty important hoity toits; I was an attorney who became the general counsel of a large healthcare system in a relatively short period of time; I built a  million dollar plus business for which I designed and manufactured jeweled and enameled collectible boxes(sold under the name Wendy Reed)( I actually designed a box in honor of the the actress Tippi Hedren- you know, the star of the movie THE BIRDS and Melanie Griffith's mother); and had a jewelry business for which I designed jewelry- (you can still see it on the website-www.wendyreedjewelry.com).

And then there is Little Lilly Polka Dot. The idea for her came to me when I was in bed just about 24 hours a day with severe depression. I would get out of bed and either write a little of her story or do a little bit of illustrating. I managed to self-publish it and get it placed in Barnes & Noble as well as Books-A-Million and Amazon. I visited the schools where I read the book to the kids and we sang the Little Lilly song. It was  a BLAST. And nothing is more fun than seeing the kids' faces as the drama in the book unfolded. But then, I decided maybe the book and Lilly weren't such a great idea after all and I just stopped pushing the project forward altogether. I got a 'real job'(as my husband called it and he, of course, was thrilled I actually had a paycheck) which ended up disastrously since I had worked for myself for way too long. NO MORE BOSSY BOSSES FOR ME!!If you're an entrepreneur you know what I mean! So back I go into the Lilly project. And here I am-blogging my fool head off  trying to interest you moms enough so you'll let your kids play on the website and spending untold hours on FACEBOOK telling anyone and everyone who will listen that I have a fun new website for kids and please let their kids visit it(all the while trying to avoid getting in trouble with FACEBOOK for spammy content-- WHAT THE HECK!!??. ) NEVER MIND that I am up against the likes of Disney, Hallmark and the Cartoon Network. (FACEBOOK could care less, of course. They were NEVER the underdog!! )Their blogs are fabulous, they have tens of thousands of FACEBOOK fans and their websites can keep a kid interested and happy for days on end. But I actually believe that Lilly's site holds its own. Even though I didn't spend a gazillion dollars on it(I did ALL the artwork for the site), mine has had a lot of heart put into it. From the late night hours I spent at my drawing board patiently rendering and painting the artwork to the first time I heard 8 year old Ruby Davenport(the niece of the website developer) singing the Lilly song and narrating the book, I have loved every minute of it. Sure- my dream is that one day we all see Little Lilly Polka Dot on  backpacks and coloring books and every other kid item under the sun but even if I get a quarter of the way there I'll be happy. Heck even if I make one child and one mom happy it will all have been worth it. And that's what the Little Lilly Polka Dot project has taught me that none of my previous careers has- giving joy to the children and making sure they know they are loved by Little Lilly Polka Dot if by no one else is a purpose and destiny worth pursing and never giving up on, no matter how many backpacks(if any) Little Lilly ends up on !!Now THAT's the STUFF REAL DREAMS ARE MADE OF!! :) THANKS FOR COMING and PLEASE PASS THE WORD ALONG!

Love, Wendy

A Blogger's Paradise

Hi everyone! Just a little late Saturday night post about the great fun I'm having visiting tons of fun and fabulous blogs as a participant in a Weekend Blog Hop, courtesy of the Mom Bloggers Club!! Little Lilly Polka Dot is in her polka dotted bedroom having some lovely polka dotted dreams.

Well- this isn't really her room as you can see by the monogram but she wishes it was her room. She does have lots of polka dots on her walls though and these are her polka dotted sheets.

Ooh la la, c'est tres chic!!!

Sweet dreams my precious Little Lilly. Tomorrow is another pretty polka dotted day!! Don't forget to visit Little Lilly Polka Dot's FUN FUN new interactive website at www.littlelillypolkadot.com

Love, Wendy

Polka Dot Cookies

Now here is a great blog that walks you through the decorating process for making cute and adorable polka dot cookies!!   
http://bakeat350.blogspot.com

 And a polka dot oven to bake them in! 

DO YOU BELIEVE IT!!!



ENJOY!!
And send me photos of your polka dot cookies and cakes when you make them!!(Or when your kids make them!)  I'll post them on the blog.

Love, Wendy

Well... today is fabulous Friday!!! Little Lilly Polka Dot went off to school with her little friends and Marshmallow is curled up in the sun soaking up the rays!!! And she's purring away!! Cute little thing she is. Here is an article on  handling your sick kids!!! Every mom needs advice in this area so ENJOY!! I hope it helps. The article is courtesy of  SNIFFLE SOLUTIONS!

Stay-happy Tricks for Sick Kids

By Rachel Meltzer Warren

Keeping your child healthy is probably the most important job you have as a parent. But as every mom knows, it often requires asking your little one to do some of her least favorite things, like getting a shot or swallowing a spoonful of medicine. And that can make your life, well, challenging. But you can cut down on those tears and temper-tantrums with a few clever parenting moves. These expert-approved stay-happy tricks will keep your sick kids smiling during even the most difficult situations.
Meltdown trigger: Going to the doctor’s office

• Give your child advance notice. “Resist the urge to wait until the last minute to tell your child about a doctor’s visit,” says Bette J. Freedson, a licensed independent clinical social worker and parenting expert in Lynn, Mass. “Letting her know on the way to an appointment can create a sense of panic.” Instead, give your child at least a day to process the information and ask questions.
• Read her a story. “Books are a terrific way to ease your child into a new or uncomfortable situation,” says Freedson. “They’re more likely to discuss how their favorite characters handle going to the pediatrician than talk about their own upcoming visit.” Try reading The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor or Biscuit Visits the Doctor. Or, make up your own bedtime story, says Freedson. “That way, you can write the script for the lesson you want to teach.”
• Have a role-playing session. A few days before the appointment, give your child an old white shirt to wear as a doctor’s coat and ask him to give you a “checkup.” Then, reverse roles, with you as the physician. “Rehearsing the scenario is a gentle way of allowing him to play out his fears,” says Freedson. “It’s also an ideal time to teach him that it’s OK to be a little scared.”

Meltdown trigger: Getting a shot

• Numb the area. Bring an ice pack -- or ask the pediatrician for one -- and place it just above the injection site right before she administers the shot. “Cold can help overwhelm the pain,” says Dr. Amy Baxter, a pain researcher in Atlanta and mother of three. One product to consider: Buzzy ($35; Buzzy4Shots.com), a bee-shaped vibrating ice pack.
• Give her a mini-massage. No ice on hand? In a pinch, use your own fingers to move your child’s skin on their arm above the injection pre-shot. “That wiggling sensation confuses the nerve, which cuts down on the amount of pain your kid feels,” says Baxter.
• Provide a distraction. Give your child an age-appropriate task that he can easily master to divert his attention. “Don’t give him a task that’s too hard, like specific math facts,” says Baxter. “That can add pressure to an already stressful setting.” Instead, ask him to name two things in the examination room that are yellow, or have him point out four objects that are circles.

Meltdown trigger: Taking medicine

• Make it fun. Instead of telling your little one that it’s time for medicine, pull out his favorite novelty spoon and ask him who he’d like a visit from -- Bob the Builder or Buzz Lightyear? Another kid-friendly tool: Ava the Elephant ($10; AvaTheElephant.com). In a modern spin on the “here comes the airplane” trick, Ava dispenses the medicine through her trunk. Measure the proper dose first and then help her take her medicine, adding your own elephant trumpet noise to make your child laugh.
• Chase with a treat. When your child is particularly stubborn about taking her medications, a fun bonus may help the medicine go down. Heather McCarron, a mom of three in Jackson, N.J., gives her daughters a liquid medication and promises that she’ll refill the empty medicine cup with a favorite healthy drink, like chocolate milk or fruit juice. While you never want to make medicine seem like candy, McCarron still finds “that small incentive makes my girls feel like they’re getting something special.” You could also reward them with a favorite activity, like a game or extra playtime.
• Mask the taste. To make the medication more appealing, mix it with a sweet food like applesauce, yogurt or a fruit smoothie. You can also ask your pharmacist about FlavorX ($2 per prescription; FlavorX.com), a product that’s added to medication to make it taste like one of eight kid-friendly flavors, such as bubblegum or grape. Just make sure you use a child-safe bottle and store it in a safe place, so your kid won’t reach for it like candy.

Read more about: parenting

Hi everyone. I am so sorry to tell you that the owner of the article on making polka dot cookies asked that the post be removed. I'll try to find another one for you.

Since I am an artist, I always encourage children to be creative!! Especially if they are drawn(no pun intended!!) to the visual arts. So I thought it would be a great idea to share this article from CREATIVE CHILD MAGAZINE for those of you who would like to develop your child's artistic abilities!! ENJOY!!

Encouraging Your Child's Artistic Pursuits

Kasan Groupe

Artistic pursuits are often neglected in the public school system and our children suffer as a result. So it is your job as a parent to facilitate art appreciation and artistic pursuits in your children from a young age. If you’re successful, your children will have a life long love affair with culture and creativity. There are many ways to encourage your children in this area, just follow my tips below.
    1.    There are many different types of art and you should try to expose your child to as many as possible in your home. Music is any easy place to start. Offer and play a wide variety of musical selections in your home. Everything from classical, to folk to world music should be available. Encourage your children to sing and dance along. It will be a fun bonding opportunity and you’re child will learn to appreciate various musical styles.
    2.    Always have a plethora of art supplies stocked in your home. You should have a kids easel, water colors, paintbrushes, color pencils, construction paper, clay, glue and anything else you think your child would like. Encourage your child to utilize these supplies on a daily piece and take the time to create art with your child.
    3.    Expose your child to local plays and concerts. There is nothing more inspiring than seeing art performance up close and personal. Your child will be in awe and encouraged to create art on by themselves forms of art.
    4.    Allow your child to pick out an instrument they would like to play and sign them up for lessons each week.
    5.    Encourage your child in whichever area of art he or she would like to pursue. Even if you’ve always dreamed that your child would be a concert pianist, don’t fret or be upset if he or she would rather try out ballet instead. Encourage and nurture each artistic pursuit that your child picks up.

Permalink | Posted on Aug 10, 2011

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