Saturday, January 13, 2018

2018 Calendar Besotted

It has been quite a while since I posted anything and I believe it is time to get started again. Even though the holidays are past and we are well into 2018, let me wish you a happy and a healthy new year.

I hope you all you are staying warm. We are cold again and are anticipating snow next week, for the third time this winter. It may snow here once every two or three years, but in all the time I have lived here, we have never had two snows, much less three. It's been bizarre. The first two snows were light and didn't cover the ground much, but this next one may be an inch. (that's still light for lots of you, isn't it!)

My yearly calendar is out and has shipped to all who placed orders. Having pneumonia and the slow recovery afterwards put me over a month behind, but thankfully, the calendar has still nearly sold out. 'Besotted' pays tribute to Austen, Gaskell, and Graham, their books, the movies based on those books, and the actors portrayed in the films. The paintings in 'Besotted' are my artistic interpretations of scenes from the different movies.

The pictures for the months are paintings from photographs I took of favorite or special scenes in the movies. Some of the scenes I created by putting the two characters together in a scene. Although they were both in the scene, they were not shown together in the way that I wanted to interpret the scene. The picture from Mansfield Park was a fluke of photography. I happened to capture two scenes together. I wasn't aware of it until I was looking at the pictures after the shoot. I loved how the camera caught the two separate scenes and made them into one.

After choosing which photo I would use, I changed each picture into an Impressionist painting, using Corel Painter. The brush strokes show up more on some than on others, but they are there. It was fun making the paintings and adding more strokes where needed. Sometimes I would smooth over some rough edges or eyes, if necessary, taking out a few strokes.




A few of the month pictures are featured to give a better look at the paintings. Click on the painting
to see it in actual size.





If you have not watched the North & South miniseries by Elizabeth Gaskell, I highly encourage you to do so. Of all the embraces and 'love realized' scenes from the movies illustrated, this one was/is my favorite. Wow! That is a kiss! I have watched the ending as many times, if not more, than the ending scenes of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries. I also recommend reading the novel, North & South. The movie depicts John Thornton rather harshly in the scene when John and Margaret meet. That particular scene is not in the book at all. The book gives us such insight into the thoughts and feelings of John Thornton, and Richard Armitage does an excellent job of showing them with subtle nuances. All of the movies in the calendar are so good and I enjoyed re-watching every one. 

The calendar has quotes and promotions from many JAFF authors. Some showcase books that will be released later this year. I hope you enjoy reading the quotes as much as I did.

The authors participating in the 2018 calendar are:

A. D'Orazio
Amy Cecil
Riana Everly
Brenda J. Webb
Caroline Jane Knight
Cassandra Grafton
Cat Gardiner
Christina Boyd
Christie Capps
Denise O'Hara
Don Jacobson
Elaine Owen
J. Dawn King
J. L. Ashton
James Gaynor
Jan Hahn
Jeanna Ellsworth
Jennifer Redlarczyk
Joana Starnes
Linda Beutler
Linda Blanchette Tremblay
Mel Schertz
Nicole Clarkston
Pamela Lynne
P.O. Dixon
Pat Santarsiero
Regina Jeffers
Robin Helm
Sharon Lathan
Trudy Brasure
Wendi Sotis

That is quite a line-up, isn't it! There are many books to peruse and quotes to enjoy.
These authors are giving us some fine reading time. 





I want to say a special thanks to Minuteman Press in Georgetown, Texas. They have been printing my calendars for the past four years. Yvonne, Andy, and Michelle, thank you for all you do to make the calendar possible. Yvonne, you are my first go-to person and your help is 'priceless'. Andy, you are my hero! You always work extra hard to get the color to print like I want it to look. I know we have the same vision of how it should be and I trust you implicitly to make that vision a reality. Michelle, your final touches give the calendar that finished look that makes it professional. Thank you all for caring and wanting to help me make my calendar the best it can be.

If you are interested to learning more about the calendar or getting one for yourself or a friend, you may leave me a message below, go to my website, JT Originals, email me, or message me using the contact form to the right. You can also contact me via my JT Originals Facebook page. Although, the website says that the calendar will be available soon, it is available now. :)

Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to have your share in the conversation. Be watching next week for my favorite books from 2017!

20 comments:

  1. I am pleased to once again be part of this delightful calendar, Janet. [BTW, my copies came in the mail yesterday.]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’m thrilled that you are part of the calendar. I always love reading your quotes.

      Thank you for telling me your calendars arrived. It is always a relief to know they’ve reached their destination, especially this year!

      Delete
  2. I truly didn’t think you could top last year’s but this one knocks it outta the park, Janet. Oh,yes. That Richard Armitage kiss is pure swoonworthy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have no idea how much that pleases me to hear! Thank you, Joy. Isn’t that kiss swoon worthy! Oh my!

      Delete
  3. Wow!! These are stunning! These will look great anywhere!

    Glad you were able to create these lovely Austen calendars again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Claudine. I love making the calendar and am always happy when I can hold the finished product.

      Delete
  4. What a fabulous calendar. I would have loved one if only for the two Darcy/Elizabeth and the John/Margaret pictures ������ however I have the calendar from my daughter in Australia with photos of my two little grandsons and I also had a BBC Countryfile calendar from a friend. I do still have the 1995 P&P kiss Christmas card up on my wall though so thank you for that. I'm so glad that you are better now and hope the snow doesn't last long. We haven't had too much snow thank goodness (we have got off lightly here compared to other parts of England) however we may get more this week ��.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you think so, Glynis, but I believe it sounds like you have a fabulous calendar with your grandsons. It doesn't get any better than that! Hope you didn't get too much snow. We got more ice than snow. I didn't have water for over 36 hours! FUN!

      Makes me feel so good that you have The Christmas Kiss on your wall! :)

      Delete
  5. Besotted is a great theme word for your new calendar. I love all those movies and ah yes those kisses and cuddles. :)

    Fab job, Janet and Minuteman.

    Be careful in all that snow. *wink wink*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It took me long enough to think of a title this year! I'm glad you feel it is a great theme.

      Our snow was more ice! We thought we had the pipes fixed up good with heat lamps this time but the water still froze up. No water for over 36 hours!

      Delete
  6. Hi Janet,

    Oh,I'm so looking forward to receiving your beautiful calendar and seeing for myself the lovely pictures up close!!

    Am also looking forward to reading the quotes from some of our favourite authors but must wonder how we are to get any work done with your calendar hanging on our walls,distracting us!!!? 😉

    Am delighted to see you recommending N&S as,along with P&P,it's my favourite book!! And yes,I'm also guilty of watching that station scene and think the music,body language,dialogue and kiss just magical!!! Sigh!!! 😊❤️

    Thank you for this lovely post!
    Hope you have a great year! 😌

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can hardly wait for you to get your calendar. I hope it will be there soon.

      I think you will enjoy the quotes and maybe, not be too distracted. lol

      Isn't N&S good! It is one of my favorites too. It is up there close with P&P. The ending of the movie is magic! You nailed it!

      Delete
  7. Oh my, what gorgeous images! Thanks, Janet, you are spoiling us. So sorry to hear you were poorly and that it took you a while to recover, and I do hope you didn't exhaust yourself trying to speed up the calendar. Have a great start of the year, look after yourself and thanks again for the exquisite 'Besotted'!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm doing much better now, Joana. I tried not to push too hard but it was weighing on me. I knew I needed to get the calendar finished. Hope you get yours soon. Have a wonderful year yourself! Looking forward to more books from you. :)

      Delete
  8. Frankly, I'm in awe at your talent. I'm the person who draws stick people in Pictionary... Very well done and congratulations on creating such a beautiful calendar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sue. The calendar is a labor of love. I appreciate your comments.

      Delete
  9. Wow! Gorgeous calendar,again! Glad to hear you are on the mend...pneumonia is exhausting! Yes, that kiss between Thornton and Margaret is epic. I finally read Elizabeth Gaskell's book last year. Hoping to read Nicole's stories in the near future as I certainly wanted more after the ending of N&S. Have a happy, prosperous and HEALTHY New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Carole! Epic...that is perfect for that kiss between Thornton and Margaret! I like that! I'm so glad you read the book. Now you must read Nicole's stories and Trudy Brasure's. Thank you for the New Year wishes. I wish you the same.

      Delete
  10. I'm so happy, alomg with everyone else, to hear that you're on the mend, Janet. Keep looking after yourself though. It takes time to build your strength back up after something like that. My enforced break from blog hopping wasn't due to anything like that, thank goodness. Just work and Real Life, meaning something had to give and in the end it came down to reading JAFF or reading JAFF blogs. Things have settled down a bit now, thank goodness and I can pop in and out again.

    Sigh! All of the pictures are gorgeous, but I'd be terribly tempted to keep it on June all year round! Although that scene isn't in the book, I think most, if not all, of us would wear that part of the DVD out if it were possible to do such a thing.

    Do you have any of them left? If so, I'll definitely be ordering one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your good wishes for my health and your cautions to keep looking after myself. I appreciate your concern and will do as you say.

      I had been missing you and hoping all was okay in your world. I'm glad that it was nothing serious. Work and Real Life are enough! It's good to have you pop in again.

      I have sold out of the calendars and am waiting to see about the cost of ordering a few more. I will let you know if I get to order a few more. I had several that wanted one and didn't get one. I think quite a few people want to keep the calendar on June. I'm one of them too! lol I'm surprised my DVD is not worn out!

      I'll be in touch as soon as I have an answer from the printer.

      Delete