RECAP: Plants, Paws, and Pages (and how we added "plants" and"pets" to our "pages")

For several years, the owner of The Raven's House has encouraged me to participate in Chicago Street Markets, which hosts events in Joliet, Lockport, and New Lenox.

Unfortunately, the markets often take place on Thursday evenings (WriteOn Joliet nights) or Friday daytime (I work).

But then Michele, a busines acquaintance who runs the markets, invited BryonySeries to participate in her first "Plants, Paws & Pages" event on September 6 in Lockport.

So, despite our limited time to moving, several weeks of almost nonstop work, and three deaths in three weeks (including a tragic one we learned as we were preparing to leave for the event), we wanted to do more than just "show up."

So Rebekah, Cindy, and I brainstormed ways to add "pets and plants" to pages at our booth, too, from existing props.

Here are five ways we made that work.

1. Overall decor.

Rebekah chose earthy colors for tablecloths and shelves.

And she draped plastic bryony-ish vines from the back of the tent (the wind kept blowing them out of place, so she had to keep adjusting them).

2. Purple music roses

Rebekah tied ribbon and BryonySeries cards to our remaining purple music roses and surprised anyone who stopped to look at our books with one.

I also created a recipe for Polychromatic Soup from a hilarious scene featured in "Karla Joins In." 

We printed the recipes the last of the scroll paper Sarah had gifted me when we released "Bryony" in 2011 (no photo of the recipe because the recipe is a secret...unless you're gifted with one).

And then we rolled up the paper and held it in place with a bit of plant-themed decorative tape from Rebekah's tape bin and gave those away, too.

3. Plant grove.

We set up a "plant grove" quiz of five plants featured in the BryonySeries (you turned the "tree" stand around to read the answers).

And if this looks simple, those cards were a huge labor of love to print and create due to a series of unfortunate mishaps (oh, the stories Timothy could tell!)

4. Pet products.

Cindy surprised us with crocheted pet caps (two tomato and two lemons, each with ear holes) and four pet bandanas (she had a birthday party yesterday and couldn't hang out with us)

5. Adoptable mice.

Cindy also crocheted more friends of Bertrand for adoption.

Rebekah made bags of "crocheted mouse food" from leftover embroidery floss from childhood friendship bracelet-making days and attached them to the mice (zoom in to see the food).

We did not sell the mice; they were free with the purchase of one teen or adult book or two children's books.

So how did we do at the five-hour event?

We sold eight books, all four pet caps, and two of the four bandanas.

We also gave away twenty-five purple roses, fifty-five recipes, and probably another thirty cards.

We encouraged this author, who debuted her children's book at this event (a book I enjoyed so much that I purchased a hardcover, bookmark, and T-shirt for my grandson and a button for Rebekah), who sold really well.

We received an invitation to an event in early 2027 after the holidays.

And one pet owner came back to show how cute her dog looked in his hat.

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: What Is "Bryony?"

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

What Is "Bryony?"

How and when I decided to give John Simons' wife the name of a poisnous vine and then encase his mansion in it is lost in obscurity. I only remember. rejecting "ivy" and recalling the name, "Briony," from Ruth M. Arthur's "A Candle in her Room." Coincidentally, and not on purpose (Honest!), Briony's older sister in that book is named, "Melissa."

At the time, I thought Briony's meaning had something to do with briars. When I researched the name, I discovered it was actually an obnoxious, toxic weed, with predator-type qualities, so perfect for a vampire novel.

Below are a few facts about Bryony, complements of the Montana State University and its July 28, 2009 press release, "Fast-growing, noxious weed, white bryony, found in Bozeman." (http://www.montana.edu/). First, its description:

* Bryony can grow up to 6 inches a day and quickly cover the sides and tops of trees.
* Its rooting system can be up to 18 inches in length and resembles a white turnip.
* White bryony has dark green, palmately lobed leaves, each with an associated tendril.
* The flowers are small, yellow-green or yellow-white, and are located in the leaf axils.
* The fruit is a round berry, which turns black as it ripens.
* Birds eat and spread these fruits. The fruits are highly toxic to humans and animals.

White bryony first appeared in United States during the 1970s. Its nickname is "Kudzu of the Northwest." Here's why:

* Bryony's rapid growth can block all light to the host plant.
* Heavy winter snow can accumulate on bryony and break the branches of the host plant.
* Following breakage, disease and insects may invade the host plant.
* The spread of white bryony can reduce wind protection for people and livestock.
* It can also lead to loss of wildlife habitat.

One must exercise caution when removing bryony:

* Wear protective gear (gloves, long sleeves), as bryony can irritate skin.
* Certain, effective herbicides can be hazardous to the host species.
* To apply, Pull the bryony vine away from the plant before applying.
* Several applications may be necessary.
* White bryony regenerates from the root, so severing the vines is not as effective.
* Root damage is the most effective control method. Cut roots several inches below the soil.
* This must be done in autumn, after the leaves have died.
* Watch for new plants and repeat.