More Hand Painted Ornaments

These ornaments were all gifts and have been received so I can now post them!  Hand painted on wood with acrylics. I have others available in my Etsy Store if you'd like to take a look.  Have a beautiful Christmas!!

Holiday Special on My Book!

Attention mosaic lovers, cat lovers, children's book lovers, Christmas lovers, art lovers! My book The Night Before Christmas is available for $10 through the month of December, so now is the time to buy several copies as you are saving more than 40%! I will also include a couple of printed art cards in your order. If you reside in the U.S. you will also receive free shipping, so how can you say no to that? :)  
Available at www.cbmosaics.com/book
 

 
 

Book and Postcard Giveaway!

Thank you, readers, for your support and enthusiasm of me, my art, and my book all of these years. This holiday I am giving away a signed copy of my book, The Night Before Christmas, illustrated by me with my stained glass mosaics, and a set of ten postcards with images from the book.

To win, all you have to do is go to my Facebook page, find the Giveaway post (which should be very close to the top of the page) and follow the instructions.  You have up to three chances to win!

The winner will be picked in a random drawing Tuesday morning, Dec. 22 and announced on my Facebook page. If you are in the U.S., I will send the book and postcards with Priority shipping on the 22nd, in hopes that you receive them by Christmas Eve! Outside the U.S. are welcome to participate as well - it will just take a bit longer to get to you if you win. :)

Thank you for once again sharing my book, of which I am very proud, and GOOD LUCK!

xo Christine

Postcards of Christmas Mosaics

Postcards of two images from my book, The Night Before Christmas, are available in my Etsy shop, here. They are blank on the back for your personal Christmas greetings. :)

 

Featured on Folt Bolt

My book was featured on the colorful and inspirational blog of Folt Bolt, which features "amazing artworks from all around the world." Visit their blog here.  Thanks, Folt Bolt!

Article in Mosaico na Rede Magazine

The third edition of Mosaico na Rede, a magazine published in Brazil, is now available and there is a lovely article in it about me, my art and my book, The Night Before Christmas. I was contacted last year by the editor, Magaly Floriano, who interviewed me and collected several photos of the mosaic illustrations in the book. The magazine is printed on nice, quality paper and includes many other interesting articles and images of beautiful mosaics throughout. It is printed in Portuguese and English. You can purchase a copy here.

Betsy Bird on Fuse #8

Betsy Bird featured my book on her blog, A Fuse #8 Production, on the School Library Journal's web site, saying it's "one of the most beautiful Christmas children's books I've ever seen."  Read the post here.  Thanks so much, Betsy!

Postcards Available From My Book

I now have postcards available of these two images from my book, The Night Before Christmas.  They are 4.25x5.5" and are blank on the back, perfect for a Christmas greeting.



The cards come in packs of ten and you can find them and my book here! 

Mention in Stained Glass News

In the recent issue of Stained Glass News, there is a nice little mention of my book.  Also a very cool article by Martin Cheek for all of you mosaic enthusiasts.  Find a copy at your local stained glass store or online.
 

A heartwarming way to share my book

A couple of nights ago I read my book to a group of children living at Transition House, a shelter and resources for the homeless.  The entrance has beautiful stained glass doors, immediately welcoming and familiar!

The questions and comments during story time were priceless. My favorite comment, however, came from a boy who, after I told them my family was in the book, looked at the page where my husband gets a new guitar and said excitedly, “Your husband met SANTA?!” After I read the story, I met each one and put their name in a book for them to keep. The 25 books were donated by a very generous coworker of my husband’s.  Thank you Andrew!!

What I love to now imagine is them going to bed with their books and believing in the magic of Santa.  I hope all of you have a magical Christmas, too!!

Transition House is dedicated to the solution of family homelessness in the Santa Barbara community.  Capable and motivated families with children are offered respectful, non-sectarian residential services and the life skills needed to alleviate their poverty, and to restore self-sufficiency and dignity.

A Goodreads Review

On my dear friend's piano (my son painted
the Santa when he was five)

Just wanted to share this review I received on Goodreads this week.  I had a book giveaway and one of the recipients posted this review:

 

This new 2013 edition is illustrated with talented Christine Brallier’s absolutely stunning stained glass mosaics. The accomplished artwork gives the familiar Christmas poem a warm and antique look. I know nothing about making stained glass mosaics, so was delightfully surprised to discover that this medium can portray movement so convincingly (unlike the frozen-stiff figures so often seen on church windows.) The pages are full of details that invite the reader to linger, such as the patterns on Santa’s hood and on the reindeer blankets, the long white strips of glass that make up Santa’s beard and the reindeers’ manes, and the stripes in the cat’s tail. 

The cats are a particular delight, especially the grey and white cat modeled on the artist’s cat Raymi. For a story-within-a-story, follow this feline through the pages of the poem for the cat’s perspective on the Christmas Eve happenings. Note her realistic poses and behavior: curled up on her owner’s bed and completely oblivious to the mouse sleeping in the living room wreath; peering out the window to check on the clatter on the lawn; diving to hide under an armchair as Santa appears in the fireplace; peeking out curiously from under the chair; cautiously considering Santa’s outstretched hand; batting the side of Santa’s chair as Santa strums the guitar; clawing Santa’s beard; and finally curled up again on the bed, purring and kneading and dreaming about those perfect cat toys Santa just delivered. There are also other wonderful cats shown in the framed photos on the wall of the house. 



On the shelves at Chaucer's Bookstore

Recommended for children of all ages including pre-readers, for art lovers, for cat lovers, and for just about everyone else except Grinch and Scrooge. I’m sure our copy will become a treasured family Christmas book, brought out every year along with the holiday decorations. 

 

Thank you so much, Alexandra!

My book is available here.

Book Review!

Hooray!  My first book review, how wonderful.  Much gratitude to Tasha Saecker at the blog, Waking Brain Cells, where she reviews books for children and teens.  Head over there to read her review of my book and if you're a fan of children's books, there's plenty to explore there!  Her review of my book is here.

About Tasha from her blog:  My name is Tasha Saecker, and I am the Assistant Director of the Appleton Public Library in Appleton, WI. I started my library career over 20 years ago as a children’s librarian, and continue to be connected to books for children and young adults.
I hope in Waking Brain Cells, you find a warm, friendly place where books for children and teens are celebrated.

Thanks, Tasha!!

Priority Shipping Now Available

Want to get your copy of my book delivered by Christmas?  Priority shipping now available on my web site.  Order soon, Christmas is nearly here!

My book is available here.  Happy Holidays!

Local Newspaper Doing Feature Story!

I was just interviewed and had my picture taken at Granada Books with my art for an upcoming Santa Barbara News Press article. I will see about posting it here when it comes out, or at least a link.  For all you locals, check out this Sunday's paper in the Life section.  It's gonna be big!