As the year comes to a close...

I am truly amazed by all of my family accomplishments in 2009

I received two publishing contracts and will have my first book out August 2010
and the second contract is for a series (minimum four books ... but the possibilities are limitless)

My husband's company has managed to weather the economy storm and they forge ahead with positive spirits into 2010.

My daughter graduated in 2009 and is on her second seasonal job - this second one she'll be able to stay on parttime and I know the third job will be a charm and she'll find something more permanent as she makes further plans toward entry into the world on her own. She has become a great sales person - and she continues to amaze me as I watch her in action. And loved it as a small boy left the store with his mother, he past the window where she was standing - knocked, smiled and waved goodbye.

My son is progressing and learning many new social communications and I continue to be proud of him. He has a keen eye and is quite entrepreneurial as I teach him more about the antique collectible business. We will be business partners in a new antique mall space much closer to home - we are coming "home" to the mall where we belong, among friends! As we shopped at a mall together we were shocked at the treatment we received at the counter, by the staff. We ultimately decided to walk away from any purchases and he wasn't upset at all - he "got it" and understood that their words, tone and treatment were innappropraite and didn't mind that he didn't get him purchases either. Us to Aspies continue to learn to be a part of the world we live in and he continues to amaze me.

Our Family is embracing the new year and making goals that we can break into smaller tasks to check off along the way as baby steps toward reaching our goals. We don't make New Year's resolutions that we will ultimately fail at. I hope you will join me in making a "Dreams list" and make goals that you will reach along the way toward your dreams.

Now I must get back to quilting or my crazy children won't get their crazy quilts in 2009!

Merry Christmas to all ... enjoy the reason for the season with family and friends. Surround yourselves with positive people you love and welcome the new year and all its possibilities!

Happy New Year!

Crazy Quilting - a Christmas Promise

Crazy Quilts for Crazy Kids :)

I told my children I would make them each a quilt for Christmas - I opted for twin sized eventhough my daugter has a queen sized bed.

They picked out the fabrics - an odd assortment of their likes - in crazy colors.

My daughter loves giraffes, cats, dogs and bears and asian themes in many colors

My son likes jungle elephants, penguins and beavers and asian themes mainly in blacks

So we gathered polka dots, stripes, I threw in some checked black and white since my son also likes cars/racing, then found all the appropriate animals and I began piecing together some CRAZY quilts for them.

My son's is pieced together and backed so I can begin quilting soon:

Art through the eye of the Aspie

Art Deco through the Eye of an Aspie

I love the art deco period and as luck would have it our hotel on a recent trip was a fabulous representation of the period! If you know me - you'll know I love to photograph doorway and fire escapes. This trip I enjoyed the art deco light fixtures, so I thought Robert Schumann said it well:

"To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist."

~Robert Schumann, German Composer

My husband and I managed a quick get away for a few nights while out 18 and 11 year olds had some fun ordering delivery with the money we left them. They get along much better when we aren't home :)

I'm not sure why I go through phases but in Italy I was captivated by doorways, in New York City it was the fire escapes down the sides of buildings and in Vegas it is the amazing deco light fixtures.



Thanks for sharing another peek at some photos = I like to refer to as art therapy :o)

Join me again for some quilting fun - crazy style

We DREAM of ART

A day with Chihuly Art Glass

I have been homeschooling my son for a little over a month now and after completing some work we went to the art museum. Tacoma has a wonderful glass museum and art museum. Having a combination of anxiety with Aspergers when we arrived at the museum and saw a number of school buses he opted to begin at the glass museum bridge that is covered with Chihuly art glass.

My children and I like to take photos so we each had a camera with us.

The roof of the covered portion of the bridge is full of hundreds of pieces of art glass and one side has larger vases encased in glass.

There are beautiful fountains in front of the museum of glass




We use art as a therapy or form of stress-release and also enjoy studying new forms of art or learning about new artists.

Thanks for sharing our day at the museum.

Sometimes an artist just has to be an advocate

I have a non-profit organization to promote fine arts in at-risk youth with Asperger's, Tourette's, OCD, Anxiety, etc

But the past few weeks I have been in Mommy Protection Mode from an incident that happened at my son's middle school

I'm sure some of you are aware of the Federal Lawsuit that has been filed stemming from the amazingly horrible actions of a Kindergarten Teacher in Port St. Lucie, FL. A five year old with Asperger's was voted out of his class in a survivor-style vote and the teacher made each child in the class tell this poor five year old boy what they didn't like about him.

I never cease to be amazed by the actions of adults toward those with Autism/Asperger's. It stems from ignorance - if people would just take time to understand those with differences they would see there is no reason to 'cure' or 'fix' them. We are all just individuals who want to be understood.

My son also has Asperger's and can make wrong choices and have difficulty communicating, but it is usually his BEHAVIOR that COMMUNICATES for him when he is unable to do so verbally.
He was in trouble and one of the school principals questioned him, had him write a statement, sign forms that he was placed on an emergency expulsion and then allowed the Sheriff to question him before we were even called!

It saddens me that young people have no rights - a school and law enforcement officers may question minors without parents present or aware. There are NO Federal or state laws preventing this. What deeply saddens me is that school districts wouldn't have a policy against this. To me as a parent it is common decency - a no-brainer - that a parent would be called at least simultaneously as the law enforcement being called. Yet in our case we were phoned over an hour after the call to law enforcement.

So now we as parents must teach our young children to say, I don't want to answer any questions without my attorney present - apparently that is the only LEGAL standing to protect our children.

These Aspie's and their Art are Never Far Apart

I figured out early on that my children suffer from extreme anxiety in addition to the Autism Spectrum Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Tourette's Syndrome.

Art has been one activity that has been helpful in reducing our anxieties. We often head to our local zoo to draw the animals. Being in nature, in the presence of animals and using art in these natural settings has been a blessing.

The term "syndrome" refers to the association of several clinically recognizable signs or symptoms, hence those with Autism Spectrum Disorders may have multiple associated disorders. My son has Asperger's Syndrome and some mild OCD and I myself have Asperger's and some mild OCD and Tourette's symptoms.

I've been thinking about the various symptoms that my son and I have experienced in trying to put together a presentation so I may speak at schools to share information with teachers and other parents/PTA.


Both my children and I are very clumsy. I have often noticed a strange gait when my son is running and he can be clumsy. During my early growing up years, I felt awkward and like I never fit in-very uncomfortable in my skin. My mother assumed I was rushing when I had difficulty with writing. My daughter has poor penmanship and has never been able to learn to ride a bicycle. All three of us have difficulty falling asleep; I wake up frequently during the night and my son wakes with the chickens!


In creating diagnostic criteria, Dr. Hans Asperger noted, "Children with AS may be delayed in acquiring skills requiring motor dexterity, such as riding a bicycle or opening a jar, and may seem to move awkwardly or feel "uncomfortable in their own skin". They may be poorly coordinated, or have an odd or bouncy gait or posture or poor handwriting. Children with AS are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty in falling asleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings, and early morning awakenings.


As I have shared my insights with my sons's teachers they have truly appreciated the assistance it has provided them in teaching him. I hope my art and books will support my non-profit so I may work with other youth and speak in public about autism/aspergers.



“Not everything that steps out of line, and thus ‘abnormal’, must necessarily be ‘inferior’.” ~ Hans Asperger (1938)

If I could explain to you how I feel about people it is this: we are all just HUMAN, no condition defines who we are–we are all different shades of ordinary. My hope is that others will learn to embrace those with differences and be more accepting. I will continue to share the story of my experiences with Asperger Syndrome.

I am Aspie-Mom

Being an aspie-mom has many meanings to me: (1) I am mother to a son with Asperger Syndrome, (2) Since my son's diagonsis I now understand my confusion at life growing up...I'm almost 100% sure I too have Asperger Syndrome and (3) What I have learned about Asperger Syndrome and Autism I can now use to help others.



Art has always been my saving grace, when young, confused and scared I drew, painted, sewed, played music or participated in drama. Both of my children have benefited from drama and art - it has calmed them when they are stressed or anxious.



My book, Why Don't They Come With Instructions?, which will be published this next August (2010) is about raising two children who have Aspergers, learning disabilities, OCD and Tourette's and how we created a non-profit to help similar youth.


If you'd like to read a chapter from my upcoming book you will find it at http://www.jbeaverbooks.com/
or more information about the non-profit THE LAVENDER DOOR FOUNDATION at http://www.lavenderdoorfoundation.org/

Thanks for stopping by...stay tuned for more about my fiber art, painting, quilting projects that are adorned with beads and fiber art or my upcoming books.