Meg Cox's Blog, page 5

Looking Back: A Review of 2012

 I was inspired by my friend Leslie Tucker Jenison, who posted a wonderful series of photographs about  her year. This made me realize that while there were many challenges in 2012 for me and mine, there was alo a great deal of joy and beauty. 

 March: Quilt Alliance board meeting in Nashville, here w/exec director Amy Milne. Due to a hurriance, we were evacuated early!

 

Spring Break: the first of many college visits with my son, Max. Here he is at Amherst.

Work-in-progress: a house quilt for the Hun School gala.

For my birthday in mid-March, I visited the Museum of Art & Design in NYC…

And had lunch with my dear friend Wendy Kwitny.

April: Another trip to NYC, for the opening of an art show with quilts by the fabulous Luke Haynes. Here I am with another Alliance board member, novelist Marie Bostwick.

Grounds for Sculpture is one of the BEST culture treasures of New Jersey.

I went with Gerry DeGeorge, an awesome woman who is married to my husband’s cousin.

June: Yippeee! A book launch party for the revised edition of The Book of New Family Traditions. 

July: A Pasta Potluck lunch on the deck with some girlfriends, all in my magical yoga class.

More college visits: here at Brown in Providence, Rhode Island. A reach school.

 

August: Quilt Alliance board meeting in Nebraska, where we had a wondrous add-on trip to Omaha to see the International Quilt Study Center again.

So many great family memories and sunsets at the Jersey Shore!!!

Good eats, too.

 

September: Quilters Take Manhattan 2.0 was another awesome Alliance event. Here I am with one of our keynote celebs, Denyse Schmidt.

The room was crowded, and the crowd was pumped!

I had two surgeries in September, figuring I might as well pile on the misery to make it shorter. But it was more intense that way. Here with stitches from Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer on my forehead.

Daily works were part of my “therapy,” and I tried to fashion them into a compelling ritual to increase the likelihood of completion.

October: my recovery weeks were punctuated by a quick trip to LA, to tape a TV segment on Thanksgiving traditions. Here a shot of the hipster hotel they put me up in, close to Santa Monica’s glorious beach.

Late October/early November: Hurricane Sandy is definitely one of the more memorable events of the year. Here we are trying to eat up the ice cream when the power went out. Who knew it would be out an entire week and then some!

December: all year long, I continued to write for multiple magazines and newsletters, often about quilts. Here is one of my favorite quilts of the year, about which I wrote a story for the December issue of The Quilt Life. This is called “infinite Gratitude,” and it is a red and white Dear Jane quilt made for quilt collector Joanna Rose by her niece (with help). Rose’s collection of red and white quilts was displayed at the Park Avenue armory in NYC last year, in the much-buzzed about Infinite Variety show.

To end the year, a sweet photo of my grand babe Lucy (who calls me Queen), at her parents’ home in DC. She is here with darling Luna, a dog owned by my husband’s ex-wife. 

Happy New Year to all!!!! I hope you will check back to this blog occasionally to see how my 2013 is going. 

Good Reading: My Traditions eNews, Winter Edition

To everyone who reads this, I wish peace and hope and love will guide you and inhabit you throughout the holiday season.

If you care about ritual and celebrations and want to deepen your own traditions, you may enjoy reading my regular newsletter on the topic. I’ve been researching and writing about tradition for nearly two decades, and writing a newsletter on the topic about 10 years. I recently switched to the Constant Contact format so I could include photos and reach a larger audience.

 

Click here to read my Winter edition. And find out why I took photographs of my own two feet every day for many weeks. 

Family Traditions for a Grieving Nation

The senseless slaughter of 20 innocent schoolchildren just 10 days before Christmas Eve has left a nation of parents weeping. We feel hopeless and helpless, and fear for the safety of our own kids.

 

 

 

 

 

But we aren’t helpless. That urge we feel to hug harder is not just primal, but powerfully effective. The comfort that we can give to our children — and ourselves — by clinging to our daily and holiday traditions is not transient. 

No, we can’t promise there will never be another madman with a gun. But we can start to heal by using our traditions to celebrate the love and closeness we have now.

Psychological studies have shown that if regular rituals and celebrations can be continued during difficult times, they give children a lifeline to cling to even in the worst chaos and suffering. I’m not talking about specific rituals used by a community to heal together from atrocities, like when the survivors in Oklahoma City gathered by a tree that had survived the blast and together poured water over its roots. I’m suggesting that, especialllly for young children, the most important ritual is the regular bedtime story and hugs, and hanging the Christmas stockings and making cookies, and all those comforting, familiar rituals. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I read about a United Nations study of Bosnian children whose villages were bombed and their parents killed. So-called talking therapies did little to help these kids rebuild their psyches. But then authorities got the idea to help re-create some of the festivals and other rituals that had filled their childhoods, and for many, having that continuity to hang onto made it possible to go forward. 

In this country, studies of families plagued by alcoholism also showed an outstanding result: in families where alcoholic parents managed to maintain such regular traditions as holiday rituals and birthday celebrations, their kids were less likely to become alcoholics themselves. 

The policy issues about important questions like better mental health treatment and gun control must be addressed.

Bur right now, don’t just hug your children so tightly that they squirm, make sure you don’t neglect your daily your daily silly games and songs. Light candles and sing a hymn you all love each night. Gather around your Christmas tree before bedtime and talk about which ornaments tell the stories of your life together. Bake cookies, and share them with family and friends. 

 

 

 

 

You have the power to do this every day. And now it means more than ever. 

More Great Reviews!!!!

 I feel guilty about not blogging more, but I’ve been overwhelmed with deadlines. And then, there was that whole week we lost to Hurricane Sandy, here in New Jersey.

Now that things are getting back on track, here are a few recent reviews I want to share.

First off, a starred review in the November 15 issue of Library Journal called The Book of New Family Traditions “Browsable, readable, doable and lovable” and added, “This stellar offering belongs on the shelf of every library, and every kid’s home.”

Read the full Library Journal review here.

The Momma’s Bacon blog gave me a terrific review here.

As someone deeply involved with both family traditions and the modern world of quilting, I was delighted with this warm review from the hip new publication for quilters called Generation Q. Here is a photo from the review, which talked about the wonderful Christmas quilt tradition in the book. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Finally, I was delighted when Trina Dalziel, a British illustrator who did all the charming drawings in my book, blogged about her experience working on The Book of New Family Traditions.

Here is her blog post, and below is one of her delightful illustrations for the book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Trina!!!

 

I’ll be back here soon with a new post. Meanwhile, don’t forget that The Book of New Family Traditions makes a great holiday gift for a young family still trying to figure out how and what to celebrate. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

http://share.yhoo.it/WFx

Here is a short segment from Yahoo! TV’s Away We Grow, in which I shared some fresh ideas for celebrating Thanksgiving. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

School Rituals for the First Day & Beyond

 

     One of the mothers I interviewed for The Book of New Family Traditions practices this wonderful tradition of writing inspiring messages in colored chalk for her daughters to find as they walk to school. If your kid only walks to the bus stop, you can still write a note or make a silly drawing.

     There’s another mom in my book who created an instant photo book for her kids the day they began kindergarten: she took photos of them waking up, dressing, brushing their teeth, eating breakfast and boarding the bus. While they were gone, she printed photos on her home printer, pasted them to cardstock, then took them to Office Depot to be laminated and turned into a book. 

     The first day of school is a big deal and celebrating it is a good way to demonstrate to your children that education is valued in your family. All transitions are ripe occasions for ritual and celebration, but the start of school each year is an especially major marker, a rite of passage that gives us an opportunity to think and talk about our children’s growth, progress, aspirations and accomplishments.

     But it’s also important to think about school rituals for the weeks and months to come, rituals that will help keep your children focused. So, take a little time now and think about how you might use ritual to celebrate but also motivate. Like the family in my book that has “Monday Sundaes.” The kids are slow getting started on Monday mornings, so the mom declared that everyone who was dressed and in the kitchen by a certain time would get a sundae, made of frozen yogurt, fruit and nuts. Maybe you want to do something special on Fridays, to welcome the weekend?

     One of the single most important things to consider is study rituals. The earlier you start good ones, the better off your student will be throughout school, and beyond. One of the single smartest things I ever did was declare that studying was the top priority after school, with only a very limited play period and a snack before starting homework. Unlike many rituals that did not stick with my son, I’m happy to say that this ritual is so ingrained at this point, that even in high school, he still does his homework first thing even on a Friday.

     I’ll be coming back periodically with other fun family traditions as the weeks and months go by. Now it’s time to take my son out shopping for new school clothes: probably his least favorite school ritual!

Happy Birthday, America!!!!!!!!!!

In The Book of New Family Traditions, I write about celebrating the fourth of July as the birthday of America, and that’s a good way to get into the real meaning of this holiday with your kids. We have a tradition of always reading aloud from the Declaration of Independence, which is easily found online and is often printed in daily newspapers on this day. 

Here are some ideas for your birthday bash:

*Uncle Sam hats for party toppers

*red, white and blue bunting and decorations

*cupcakes or cake for desert, and sing “Happy Birthday, America” after lighting and blowing out the candles

*have everyone at the party talk about what freedom means to them

*play Sousa music and march around, or sing some patriotic standards: if you forgot some of the words, click here. 

 

There are more ideas for this holiday in the book, including how to write your own family constitution, and the best fireworks apps. Yep, there are tons of smartphone apps featuring fireworks. What a country!

Have a blast! Here’s my favorite treat for this holiday. 

 

********************************************************************** 

This recipe comes from the July/August 1996 issue of Cooking Light.

Berry Patch Parfaits

2 cups raspberries or blackberries

1/4 cup sugar, dividid

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 (32 ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt

12 raspberries or blackberries (or blueberries)

1/4 cup frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed

 1. Place 2 cups raspberries in a blender or food processor, process til pureed. Press pureed berries through a sieve into a microwave-safe bowl, and discard seeds. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch to puree: stir with a whisk until blended. Microwave at high 3 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring halfway through. Spoon 1 tablespoon of berry mix into each of 4 (10 oz) stemmed glasses. Chill, uncovered, 10 minutes.

2. Spoon yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels: spread to 1/2 inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels, let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a bowl using a rubber spatula. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to yogurt, stir well.

3. Divide yogurt mix evenly among glasses. Top each with 3 tablespoons of berry mix. Cover loosely: chill at least 2 hours. Top each parfait with 1 tablespoon whipped topping and your choice of berries (I add blueberries for the red, white and blue look). 

4 servings. 

June 14: WANTED: Your Fun Summer Traditions!

Isn’t this a glorious time of year? Gorgeous weather, delicious fresh fruit, just throw on your shorts and flip-flops, and feel the warm breeze on your skin. School is out, the kids are frisky, not yet bored.

I’ve been asked to write a magazine article about summer traditions, and I could really use your help. So, I was wondering, what sorts of things does YOUR family do to celebrate this season fully?

Do you eat special treat foods at your barbecues? Always go to this certain park or festival or outdoor concert? 

When my son was little, we made a ceremony on the last day of school of going straight to the public library to sign up for the awesome summer reading program: the kids kept cute charts about each book they read, and at the end of the summer, they could cash them in for bookmarks and other prizes. And always, on that day, we would go out for the first summer ice cream cone.

What are your special foods, hang-outs, games, party activities, neighborhood fests?

Do you have a cousins camp, or special made-up sports?

Share your comments here, or send me an email at meg@megcox.com. 

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

June 12: Memory Jar for Father’s Day!

This is a simple but profound way to celebrate your father, or the father of your kids.

I’ve taken a strip of cloth and sewn a hem with white embroidery floss, then stamped the letters onto the fabric. But it would be easy to use a paper or ribbon label, marked with crayons or Sharpies. Add photos if you want, glue one right on to the jar. 

The strips of paper are written notes about moments or activities that stand out, things like fun vacation times, or a day when you beat your dad at cards or tennis for the first time. Refer to jokes, family code words for things that make you laugh. Remind your dad of a disaster that has gotten to be a funny family memory. 

There are lots of ways to make this personal, but I guarantee, the recipient will be touched.

Whenever he has a bad day, or just needs to be reminded of how much he is loved, this jar will be there to remind him. 

Oh, and I would love if you can send me a photograph of YOUR memory jar! Send it to meg@megcox.com, and I’ll post it on  my blog and Facebook page. I wish my Daddy were still around: he would love this!!

 

June 5: Taking My Book to the Booksellers Expo

The Contortions it Takes to Sell a Book

 

I always love going to the annual BEA, Booksellers Expo, where booksellers and librarians come to meet  authors.  For years, I covered publishing for the Wall Street Journal and traveled all over the country to attend the BEA, but in recent years, it has been held annually at the Javits Center.  It’s always a thrill to pick up the early buzz on fall books and get to see and meet some of the authors I most admire. But there is a special thrill to be an author there (despite the obvious freak-out that competition is ENDLESS.)

 

Anyway, I was scheduled for a half hour session of signing copies of The Book of New Family Traditions in the Running Press/Perseus Books booth. The good news and the bad news is that the 75 books that had brought to give away evaporated in less than 15 minutes — there was actually a line of booksellers and librarians waiting to get a signed copy. Some of those in line included old friends, including Lynn Rosen, who edited the first edition of the book, and whom I hadn’t seen in years. Those who came too late to get a copy were so sad.

There is still so much to do as an author to promote, but this was a total feel-good day.

What can I say? A front row seat for a breakfast panel featuring Stephen Colbert, Barbara Kingsolver, Junot Diaz and Norwegian thriller writer Jo Nesbit? Priceless. 

Followed by lunch with my awesome agent, Chris Tomasino. 

Did I mention that I came home with 4 canvas bags STUFFED with free books?

So much treasure.

Life is sweet.