Pysanky and Pysanky style eggs I brought to JordanCon 7

People have been asking me what eggs I brought. I think I have pictures of all but 2 of them, but there are a few I didn't bring included as well. Enjoy!

My art is available at czukart.com. Please note that The Wheel of Time™ items are officially licensed art.

Here's a link  to an album of what went to JordanCon 7.

In Wilderness, by Diane Thomas

To be honest, I got a little creeped out by the obsession and submission in this book. Clinically, I understand what was going on in medical diagnoses with Katherine and Danny, but the workings of their relationship, particularly as the leaves began to fall in autumn and during the winter,  still got to me-- which I guess says "the writing was good."

This book is set in a sacred part of the world (for me) so the scenery came vividly to life, along with the characters. I'm rating the book (3.5/5 stars) not on how I actually felt about the story (remember that key phrase in the first sentence? "Creeped out"?) but rather by the power of the story and what the author was trying to do.

Thank you to Library Thing early reviewer program and the publisher for sending me this book.

at-least-the-writing-was-good, early-review-librarything, made-me-uncomfortable, rabun-county-and-thereabouts, read, set-in-my-stomping-grounds, set-in-the-south

Website for czukart

(The following is an PSA.) 

The White Tower Collection (sold separately or as a set)

So, what's your website? That's a question I've been hearing more and more these days, as I get more public about my art, both pysanky and 2D work. These days, I'm more likely to reply, "it's in progress", which it is -- and should be going live sometime in the near future.  Some extremely talented friends (more on that, later) are helping me, but I'm slow. It was hard for me to figure out what I wanted to show/do with an internet space that wasn't a blog. But now, I can tell you it's coming, and it will showcase my pysanky, my 2D art, and the art I'm doing as a Wheel of Time™ officially licensed artist (which includes both of the aforementioned categories.) I think the web address will be www.czukart.com, and know that it will be a storefront on shopify.com. It might be also listed as Amy Romanczuk Art. Not sure.

Birds of a feather (sold separately)

But:

Since it's not yet live, and I'm not sure it will be live before JordanCon (though I hope so), I can be reached by email or private message via one of those social media type sites where you may have seen my work, or even via message at this blog. If you're interested in a specific item or a commissioned piece, and you know what it is, tell me and we can chat about availability and costs. If you want to simply see what's available in pysanky, I can take a picture and send it to you if you give me your email address in the message. 

Pysindy Peacock (prints available)

I do promise to post as soon as the site is live. In the meantime, some of my pysanky are available at the wonderful Surface Craft Gallery on John St in Charleston, SC or Main Street Gallery on Main St in Clayton, GA.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Reminded me of a modern day take on Rear Window, if Jimmy Stewart was an alcoholic, depressive, divorced female in England, prone to blackouts. I'd tried to get a copy of this book through several of my usual sources, but was unable to, and then this one fell into my hands. It kept me pretty attentive while reading, and was surprised to hear that a friend didn't like it at all. She wasn't thrilled with the writing, having just come off a book where the author's craft with words was phenomenal. I, on the other hand, had just come off a book I couldn't finish, where the best thing I could say about it was that the previous reader, who'd left the book on a book exchange shelf where I found it, had also left me a partially filled book of first class stamps. Anyhow, I liked the book, even though the characters were all kind of pitiful, and didn't start to cotton onto the twist until well into the second half. Nice debut.

Against the Grain by Nancy Cain

A year ago, I found out I was allergic to wheat. This is not a gluten-intolerance, but a bonafide allergy, with all the pains and care that entails. It's been relatively easy for me to give up certain things, such as changing out the type of pasta we use, or finding a different sort of cracker when we have folks over for wine and cheese. It's even been okay to find a bread we like for everyday use, thanks to a good recipe that involves no grains whatsoever from another cookbook. What's been harder is to figure out how to substitute gluten free flours in baking or to find decent recipes to create my own pizza dough or a nice baguette. Or for something when I want to bring a dish to a party. Against the Grain is the perfect book to hold my had through this next phase of wheat free (and gluten free, since it turns out there is a gluten intolerance in the family as well) cooking. Nancy Cain is seriously into buckwheat flour, which might be the one gluten free flour we don't have in the house, but I intend to get some and start baking. The pictures make me hungry.