>> "PERIWINKLE AND THE ABSOLUTELY DIZZY DAZZLING DAY WAS MY FIRST BOOK, AND IT TOOK THE LONGEST TO PUT THE COLLAGES TOGETHER.

IT IS ABOUT A LITTLE GIRL WHO AFTER MUCH ANTICIPATION GETS TO GO IN THE WOODS BY HERSELF, AND SO LIKE ON AN ADVENTURE WITHOUT SUPERVISION AND JUST WHAT THAT MEANS AS EXPLORING AND EXPERIENCING IT ALL TO HERSELF WITHOUT ANYONE OVERSHADOWING THAT.

I GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY, AND THERE WAS NOT A LOT GOING ON, BUT I KIND OF FOUND THE WOODS BEHIND OUR HOUSE TO BE VERY MAGICAL.

SO, THAT IS THE INSPIRATION WHERE WE GOT THE RUN AND HAVE ALL OF THIS NATURE, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY CALMING.

SO, I GUESS I WANT OTHER KIDS TO BE ABLE TO REALIZE THAT IF THEY ARE FEELING OVERWHELMED OR NEED TO GET EXERCISE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, LIKE BEING OUT IN A PARK OR WOODS IS JUST LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE TO BE TO EXPERIENCE JUST AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF CALM -- AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE DESCRIBE IT, BUT IT IS JUST RATHER LOVELY.

SO, THERE'S A LOT OF OBSTACLES THAT PERIWINKLE HAS TO OVERCOME.

WHEN THEY ARE GOING ALONG ON THIS ADVENTURE WITH HER HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE, THEN I THINK IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO THIS, OH, WHAT WOULD I DO, AND WHAT IS SHE GOING TO DO NEXT, AND HOW IS SHE GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT GIVING UP.

IT IS NOT SO OVERWHELMING, BUT IT IS ENOUGH OF A CHALLENGE WHERE IT IS MEANT TO GIVE KIDS A THOUGHT PROCESS TO TRY AND GET THEM THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO.

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE FEEL LIKE, OH, I HAVE TO, IF I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, I HAVE TO GO BUY ALL OF THESE SUPPLIES.

WHAT I LIKE TO DO, AND EVEN WITH MY OWN KIDS, AND WE HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS IS TO USE, TO UPCYCLE, LIKE CARTONS, POP CARTONS, MILK JUGS AND CONTAINERS AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.

OVER THE YEARS, MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE FAIRYHOUSES OUT OF THINGS AND JUST DECORAING THOSE, AND IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN, AND LIKE STORAGE CONTAINERS FOR STICKERS OR TAPE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND IT IS JUST MEANT TO GET THEIR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING, AND WITHOUT SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY.

>> BASICALLY I HAVE SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME THAT I JUST HAVE TO KEEP CREATING THINGS.

AND IT HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS THAT WHEN LIKE I FIRST STARTED IN MY 20s, I WOULD MAKE LITTLE BIRDHOUSES AND PAINT THOSE, OR I WOULD MAKE LITTLE CRAFTS OR I WOULD START MY WEDDING INVITATION BUSINESS AND I STARTED THAT FOR 13 YEARS AND THEN AFTER THAT, I DID FREELANCE AND GRAPHIC DESIGN AND I DID THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND I WORKED ON THE BOOKS, AND THEN I JUST DO A LOT OF COLLAGING NOW.

SO, IT IS JUST ALWAYS EVOLVING, BUT I HAVE TO JUST CONSTANTLY KEEP MAING THINGS.

I WAS SO CHALLENGED BY TRYING TO COME UP WITH, AND LIKE I WOULD HAVE DREAMS OF LIKE, YOU WANT TO DO THIS AND WHY ARE YOU NOT WORKING ON IT, BUT THE STORY WASN'T COMING TOGETHER RIGHT AWAY AND I FELT LIKE I WAS FORCING IT, AND SO THAT IS WHY I SET ASIDE "FUN FOR ANYONE FIRST" AND LIKE I HAD THAT STORY AND IT JUST ROLLED OUT, BUT FOR THIS ONE, ART PROCESS, I DECIDED TO DO IT COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY, SO IT WAS NOT DIGITAL ART, BUT ALL OF THESE COLLAGES THAT TAKE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT.

I LOVE DOING AUTHOR VISITS, AND SO I LIKE TO TAKE IN THE COLLAGES AND IT IS A MASSIVE SPREAD, AND THE KIDS JUST POUR OVER IT, AND IT IS SO FUN.

AND I HAVE BINS OF SCRAP PARTS THAT WERE MISTAKES FOR PRINTING AND I DIDN'T WANT TO PART WITH THEM, AND SO I WILL CUT THEM UP TO USE FOR TREE TRUNKS AND IT WILL HAVE WORDING THROUGHOUT AND LITTLE ANIMALS THROUGHOUT, AND THEY ARE GOING THROUGH TRYING TO FIND ALL OF THE HIDDEN THINGS, AND IT MAKES IT MORE FUN.

IT IS MORE OF AN EXPERIENCE.