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What Christmas Means to Me

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday–the certificate for the latest Gift of Education donation I made on behalf of readers of Where the Butterflies Go and Leap. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and wishes for a 2011 filled with love, laughter and good surprises for all my other readers. Thanks so much to those of you who have bought my books–you’ve just helped make an entire school of young children happy.

May I ask one more thing of you? My latest poem, “Words,” with themes of anti cyber-bullying and anti gay-bashing, is, to my surprise, taking on a life of its own–over 50 comments, and readers are posting it on their own blogs, Facebooks, and even tweeting about it. I’m thrilled, because you never know who it might be able to help–and with the holidays here and so many kids off school, I’m sure cyber-bullying will be at its height. So, please do continue to pass it on (just link back to here okay? ) Thanks again for reading.
Cheers
Heather

Our December 2010 Gift of Education
Through sales of WTBG and Leap, we gave a simple yet necessary gift: pencils to a whole school.
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A Children’s Poetry Place

I started A Children’s Poetry Place a few months back, but haven’t been able to devote as much time to it as Where the Butterflies Go. Watch for more children’s poetry there in 2011. You can subscribe to the feed, or even follow the blog on Networked Blogs.

To end the year in style there, here are some  Haiku.  Don’t miss the delightful Murkles either. Thanks for reading!  If you can, please let others know about this new blog, and of course, spend some time there with your children.

Thanks so much for visiting from all over the world, for your comments, and for your friendships. Let’s keep our love of poetry alive & well in 2011 and beyond.

Happy Holidays,

Heather

Santa, Please Stop Here!
'Santa, Please Stop Here' by Heather Grace Stewart
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A Few of my Favourite Things: Blogging

I have found a second home here in the blogosphere, with too many benefits to mention.

I started my blog a little over two years ago, but I didn’t get really involved with the blogging community until my book Leap came out in February 2010. I had posted a few of the poems from my 2008 collection Where the Butterflies Go, but I hadn’t tried a poetry rally yet, or done an interview with any other blogger. I hadn’t hung out with you guys yet. Now I have, and I’m hooked. Plus, I’ve had people from 84 different countries visit me in the last three weeks (actual page-view visits of more than five minutes)–how cool is that?

Getting feedback on my work, reading your lovely comments about my poems and photos, checking out your posts–that would be enough for me to keep doing this forever, but wait, there’s more.

Publishers have found me through my blog and bought the rights to my photographs and poems. Young writers have found me through my blog and asked for some advice. It’s very rewarding to be able to help them out as best I can, and I’m looking forward to watching their careers unfold.

I’ve sold more books thanks to my blogging than I have at any public reading (a lot of swapping, not buying, goes on at readings) and best of all, through sales of both books, I’ve been able to donate to Unicef’s Gift of Education project three times. That’s three children who have received an education they may not have otherwise received, thanks to you readers!

Today, as a Christmas gift to thank you for visiting, commenting, giving me special awards, buying my books, and for your friendship, I’ve donated to Unicef (Canada) again. The $18 just bought 900 pencils for an entire school. Can you believe how much just $18 can do? Please do look at the Unicef link if you still have hard-to-shop-for people on your list.

My hopes for my 2011 blogging year? New friends, new projects, and more book sales so I have can get a fourth ($75) education for a child in need–or, perhaps–and this is a big reach but it’s a dream–a $500 water pump for an entire community.

I said it in 2009 to some most excellent friends (who later got me a t shirt saying I can’t rap), and I’ll say it again: I’ll be the very model of a modern networked blogger, yo!

My blogging "Mews" Sam
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A Few of My Favourite Things: Breakfast for Dinner

Sometimes my favourite thing to do–while not the easiest thing to do–is letting go of my Superwoman complex. I can’t do it all; I can’t be all things to all people. I’m only now learning to admit and accept that.

I do like to cook, but not when I have to cook. Breakfast for dinner–waffles with blueberries or french toast with strawberries–is a fun change, and always comforting after a long day. My daughter never complains, and it’s the easiest thing to cook.

I usually make fluffy, Belgian waffles from scratch in our waffle maker, but one day last week I was having a particularly busy day, so I took the easy way out and made toaster waffles with blueberries on top. Decaf lattes for the grown ups, and ice cream with sprinkles for our daughter, and everyone was happy.

Go ahead. Pass the maple syrup, and tell your inner Superwoman to go take a hike!

Waffles a la HGS--a real delicacy 😉
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A Few of My Favourite Things: Dresses and Heels

I’m a girly girl.

There, I said it. Sometimes I have problems admitting it, because it seems a little weak. And I’m not weak. I like to inline skate long distances. I love to cardio box. I like to debate a point. I love to win.

But the girly girl in me takes over when there are dresses and heels in my vicinity. I don’t own many: maybe just three good party dresses and three pairs of nice heels. But I love it when I get a chance to wear them.

Dressing up lifts my spirits, and makes me feel youthful (with the big 4-0 approaching–in 2012–feeling youthful is a very, very good thing). I’m not saying I’d happily go grocery shopping in heels–that’s when I break out the running shoes–but fashion can be so much fun. Life is short. Play it up!

Me in one of my favourite dresses