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Please check out latest Murals on my Facebook Page and my website www.Galinafouks.com for great Christmas Gift ideas! The elves have been very busy!

Christmas is coming...

Be sure to check out Maurice's Daughter at Barnes and Noble Book stores. A great Christmas Gift for a person in need.

Children: Art Stuff and more...

My Children’s Boutique…

 Toy Box...

 Big Sister T-shirt...Hand painted shirts below...

 Happy Birthday Hand Painted Shirt...

I have been very busy like Santa creating gifts for all the future babies coming into my life in the next year. 




Everyone I know is pregnant and I couldn’t be happier for all of the future new mommies in my life. “It must be in the water,” and I must buy gallons of it STAT! Lucky for me they are all having “Bring your Favorite Children’s Book” themed showers. My friend Claudette is expecting twin girls this spring.

 It was fun to design a whole gift designed around the theme of my book for her twin girls due shortly. Along with my book, I painted a beautiful gold chair adorned with hues of purples and silver accents/designs with a matching angelic foot stool to read my children’s book in.

 I loved presenting her with this gift. It was such a treat for me to create it for her and her future family.

Roughly a little over two years ago I sat on a beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with my college friend (both single at the time) and predicted our life will soon change for the best. So, every night we made a toast, “The best is yet to come.” I scratched several things off my “Life List” that week.

 I held a baby monkey and zipped line through a rain forest. I could hear her screaming the whole time behind me. Ironically, the louder she screamed the better I felt. I was finally living the life I wanted like never before. I felt so FREE. It was long overdue. A huge chapter in my life was done. I closed that book and grabbed onto the new reins in my life. We were both afraid of heights but we both collapsed in joy when it ended. SO, after a blissful vacation the single ladies returned home. We literally landed back in the states, met our husbands and married within weeks of each other. She is now very pregnant so I created an Angelic Themed Toy Box (see Pic.) that includes my children’s book, Maurice’s Daughter for her. The post office loves me when they see me coming in. Designing children’s rooms and nurseries is such a thrill for me. I have done a few now in Florida. I am only hoping to do my own soon.

Good luck Mommy to be! I LOVE YOU.

Charleston's Barnes and Noble

Charleston Barnes and Noble and Charleston’s Capital Book Festival

November 6^th & 7^th

What a great event held by Capital Book Festival located at The Charleston’s Public Library. Over 5,000 people came through the library in one day. I think they set a record that day! Hundreds of authors and publishers were present from all over the country. Wonderful readings and lectures held all day. It is still a very surreal experience sitting next to prized authors and publishers. I feel like a fish out of water at most of these events. It is amazing feeling standing behind your book with posters flanked at each side of you advertising who you are and being questioned by customers eager to read or learn more about your book. Seeing your name in print still blows me away. 

I am always extremely humbled with every book signing and signature. Capital book Festival (see Facebook Page) produces several large festivals a year all over the south and will now have an annual event every fall in Charleston, South Carolina. A fun weekend with so much to enjoy. Literature and Art dance all over the city! There was a local art festival down the street with a fabulous array of artists selling their work. I found a great sculpture of a small antique bicycle with metal birds on the handle bars and a fun glass bowl where the seat was originally placed. I have it now hanging in my kitchen. It holds my fresh vegetables and it’s a great reminder of South Carolina.

 Sunday, November 7^th

Charleston’s Barnes and Noble was a great event too (see pic. above). The people at BN are always so much fun and excited to have us there. I was there with my Publisher, Lily Herndon Weaks and a couple other of her authors too. Growing up, I was always shy to look at the authors present in the book stores. They appeared as if they were “God like Sculptures” to me. Funny, now that I have my first book out the same shyness reappears within. My mom thoroughly enjoyed herself and made sure everyone in the book store knew I was there for a book signing. I actually felt like a 15 year old with the same old thoughts, “Mom, you are embarrassing me.”

Orlando Book Signing

November 20th-24^st, 2010

Disney World, Orlando, Florida

Last November I became an ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) Member and was invited by Dr. Joan Kaywell from The University of South Florida to attend The National Convention at Disney World. Dr. Kaywell is the leading cause why The Kipple collection located at The USF Library (see Facebook Page) has grown substantially. It has over 1,500 signed first edition books (PLUS MINE) now housed in their private collection. ALAN honored about 10 students from all over the state ranging in grades 6-12. Each table had one Florida Author present with and Alan Award Winner. Before the luncheon, the Florida Authors had a book signing for everyone attending. It was a wonderful event and it was a pleasure to be included with. It is a great organization for young writers. Please check it out at www.Alan-ya.org. I was very proud to meet all the wonderful “Future Writers.” Later, they had a small cocktail party for about 500 authors and publishers. Hundreds mingled with Mickey Mouse and other famous characters. It was a pleasure to meet Michael Morris and Alexandra Finn from Harper Collins.

New Wedding Shower Invitations!

I was really excited about making these special wedding shower invitations. 

The funny thing is that the guests will not understand the funky collage until they are at the shower venue. It is in an old factory that has been restored and has funny & unique themed rooms.   

 Each room is decorated with a retro feel. Nothing seems to match and the swings and flowers are a hit that hang from the ceiling. They even have Hula Hoops for the guests to play with and use!

The event details our on the back of each card. 

The envelopes were stamped with colorful birds flying all over it.

Each card was uniquely made because they hold special hints about the couples relationship, family memories and funny stories on each one. 

There will be a raffle held at the shower for the lucky ones that have secret images hidden in the collage.

The invitations requested that the guest bring their invite to the shower for a special prizes. 

Art Studio

E l l a 's   A r t   S t u d i o

I know I am supposed to be sleeping while my daughter sleeps but I cannot help myself. I have been high on adrenaline for 8 weeks. I now have transformed my office into Ella's future Art Studio.

 People ask, "What if she is not artistic?" I cannot imagine my daughter not being artistic. I'm okay if she does not prefer it, but I will definitely introduce her to the world of art so she can appreciate it!

I painted my back wall with Black Board Chalk Paint and highlighted the top with her name. I found the ABC play mat at Buy Buy Baby and the tiny toddler table and easel at IKEA. 

It's fascinating to me, but as the pregnancy progressed, I knew my life was changing dramatically. I admit, I had a hard time thinking selfishly about the things I enjoyed might take a back seat. Never in my life was I prepared for this transformation. I cannot keep up with the ideas in my head for my daughter. "My office," for example, was a place for all "my things." It's a place where my writing takes place, a room where I paint, and four walls that hang all my favorite pieces of art, mementoes and pictures.  Now that she is here, my space is now her space and I am excited to share, teach and nurture her with all my favorite things to see, do, paint, create, etc. 

And so... our house has become Ella's and my life is dedicated to her. I seldom leave the house and I have been in the same pajamas for a day now. As she approaches her 2 month birthday I can honestly confess I created a masterpiece with her. Never in my life have I painted like the Manet's and Monet’s of the past or sculpted beauty like Rodin but I, me, and my hubby created the perfect daughter. We are so lucky and I look forward to our future together.

As I sign off, I can hear her breathing while she naps, I look up to the heavens and once again thank all my angles for this beautiful gift of life in front of me.  I just looked over my shoulder and saw one of my favorite illustrations on the wall. It is the one from my children’s book, Maurice’s Daughter, where I am on the floor of my Dad's Art Studio and I am creating my 10 year old masterpiece. I do hope one day she is on this very same floor creating her masterpieces.

I am fulfilled and life is a beautiful journey again...

I think God knew a daughter would be the best gift for me. I now know what my father felt when he had me. There is no love quite like a daughter's love and I am forever changed, extremely thankful and ridiculously blessed.

I started this blog based on my father’s grief and the book that was born from it. Now it has evolved about the lives left behind and the stories that unfold. There will always be the empty chair at the head of the table, the “What If’s” and the memories of his spirit. But most importantly the grief that is left in my heart is a reminder to me that I will never take a day for granted now that I have this new found purpose in my life. I am Maurice’s Daughter but now I am the mother of his granddaughter and I couldn’t be prouder.

Hand paited with love...

All you need is LOVE...

A new chair for another new baby!

I left the back slate of the rocking chair blank until the family comes up with a name for their daughter.

     

Excuse me but I have been on another planet for the past 9 months. I have been quiet on my "website life," but very busy in the new nursery. Below are some things I have been working on...

     Of course I had to include my first children's book that my publisher sent me and the Original watercolor illustration for the book. One thing I know for sure, now that I am a mother, is that God blessed my baby on her journey to me and my father met her first. The bridge in my heart that connected me to my father broke when he died but now is slowly being repaired with her birth. Life will never be the same and life does move on...

 I focused on a black and white theme in her nursery. B/W images strengthen her eye development during the first year. I painted  large B/W (4'x5') Elephant Ears that hang over her book shelves. It is a great distraction while we change her diaper. Most nights we think she is talking to it! I created a mobile from an old piece of grapevine wood and dangled B/W images from it too. Overhead our some B/W fan blades with patterns, flowers, bubbles and the words Dream and Earth Angel painted on it. I have other fan blades on my Facebook Fan Page if you are interested. It is simple to unscrew the blades!

A very special painting that my dad did when I was 3 years old and the shirt that I wore now hangs in the room too...

For the entire 9 months while we were pregnant we did not have a name picked out for either sex. We called him/her "Baby Love."  "Baby Love" spelled out with antique wooden blocks and rubber duckies line up for her over her dresser.

 I created "The Stork Dance" mural that is painted over her crib. Three four foot storks in white is the focal point of her room. Ironically where ever we go as a family these days, (can count on one hand during the winter hibernation of a newborn) white cranes follow us. 

 My Auntie started the ribbon mobile idea in our family with her daughter and we have been creating one for every newborn in our family over the past 15 years. I selected a few colors that matched the nursery and had friends and family members write messages to our baby at the baby showers I had. I incorporated Japanese paper Origami cranes with the ribbons. The cranes symbolize "Good Luck" In their culture. 

I received many photo albums and jazzed them up with beads and shells.

Lastly, I painted a beautiful inscripture to Ella that is spread out around the room over the chair rail.


"Be Gentle with yourself...You are a child of the universe, no less then the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusions of life, keep peace in your soul."
Unknown Author to me...