| SSC Member Profile
Jean Ruksas
From Arizona
Jean has collected CTs for about seven (very productive!)
years. She has about 760 pieces in her collection, which grows daily.
"You never know what's in tomorrow's mail," she said.
"Acorn Built for Two" was the first piece in her collection.
She got it as a gift from her daughter. "She started buying me a few mice
from Charming Tails and After The Party," Jean recalls.
Among her favorites, Jean counts the figurine "You're a
Special Mum" because of its exquisite detail. She said one of her daughter's
favorite pieces is "Can I Keep Him."
She displays her CT treasures in three huge curio cabinets,
grouped by theme: winter/Christmas, with big flowers, etc. She says, "The
most whimsical is the 'with blue and white striped pillows' group. The
winter ones have grown to six shelves, so they must be Dean's favorites.
Before we acquired a new, larger pair of curios, my daughter insisted that I
wasn't to buy any more 'winter'."
Jean has yet to meat Dean, but has firsthand experience with
his kind nature. "He did send a delightful card and note for my 80th
birthday," she said.
Meeting Scooter on-line ranks among her favorite CT moment.
Jean has many other interests, when she's not busy with her
huge CT collection!
"I collect almost any mouse but Mickey. I also collect stamps
and do some counted cross-stitch and am trying some quilting. I have a large
collection of paperweights which sit in front of a very high (almost
cat-proof) window and are the other half of my "e-name" pwmouse," she said.
"I'm a widow with two daughters and two grandchildren and an
unaffectionate tuxedo cat who rules the house. The cat does like to cuddle
briefly at about 6 a.m. The collecting bug is hereditary - one of my
daughters collects Wee Forest Folk, Pocket Dragons, and anything to do with
Girl Scouts. The other isn't a collector, but loves to quilt and bake and
garden."
Say "Hi" to Jean next time you catch
her on the message board!
Just Discovered!
We are very pleased to announce
the discovery of two previously unknown pieces of "Griffware" (that's
giftware designed by Dean Griff but not part of the Charming Tails Line)!
A collector, who prefers to
remain anonymous, contacted our Club President, Mike Brennan, with pictures
of four pieces they had in their collection for several years. After
some research, Mike was able to verify with Dean that he did, in fact,
design the pieces for Silvestri. However, none of them were ever
produced! What a discovery! Four pieces that had been sitting on
their shelf for years were suddenly determined to be PROTOTYPES! And
two of them were never even known before!
The first piece was called
"Easter Airlines" (88/602), but, as Dean says, "That never flew!" (Oh,
Dean!) The exciting news is that this piece just might be part of the future
Charming Tails line - re-sculpted and re-named, of course!
Next - there is "Skunk in Easter
Basket" (88/601). This piece was never made and never will be! (Awhhh!)
Two other pieces this collector
had turned out to be "Griffware" that we've seen before, but which they
didn't know were prototypes! There's "Skunk Sleeping in Flowers"
(89/614) (left) and "Splash Down" (83/800) (right).
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And
Now .......
A CONTEST!!!!!!!!
"Belle of the Ball"
Squashville was abuzz with anticipation, as the town
hurried to prepare for the biggest celebration in its history, the Tenth
Anniversary Gala Ball.
Each little critter got an invitation to the event, and
none planned to miss out on all the fun. Rumor had it that Dean Griff
himself would make an appearance, so many out-of-towners were coming in
for the event.
The Pumpkin Inn had no vacancies, so many visitors were
planning to take advantage of the mild Squashville weather by Camping Out
under the stars. Many even planned to Wish Upon a Star that they might
have a moment to tell Dean how special he has been to all of them over the
years.
The Radishing Beauty Salon was busy in the days leading
up to the Gala, with all the female residents of Squashville planning to
dazzle at the Ball. Maxine got a new flower for her hair while Bunnie had
her ears fluffed for the special occasion. Lydia got into the spirit with
special wing polish, giving her a shine that wowed the crowded salon.
"You're the Apple of My Eye," Lancelot told her when he met her
downtown for some shopping later that afternoon. "You Couldn't Be
Sweeter," Lydia told him, beaming.
Chauncey was hurriedly preparing the decorations
for the event, to be held in the downtown square. He was so proud to have
been chosen to oversee the Gala, and he worked hard overseeing the
preparations.
Binkey and Mackenzie helped him set up the tables, each
with soft linens and ornate floral arrangements to help celebrate the
special occasion. "Chauncey has really done a great job,"
Binkey noted as he stopped for a carrot break. "Want a Bite?" he
asked Mackenzie. "No Thanks, I'm Stuffed," Mackenzie replied,
admiring the outdoor extravaganza.
As evening drew near, the Squashville Gang retreated to
their homes to get ready for the Gala. Sidney spruced up with a new set of
antennae, while next door Sebastian and Sabrina Squirrel put the finishing
touches on their attire. "My Love For You Will Never Grow Old,"
said Sabrina, as she thought about their first meeting so long ago. They
were so young then, and now 10 years later they were celebrating their
anniversary along with the town's big Gala.
"I fell in
love with you the first time I saw you," said Sebastian. "You
Melted My Heart." But Sabrina remembered his cold feet before their
wedding, and they shared a laugh at the silliness of their youth.
"You Can't Run From Love," Sabrina reminded him. And she was
right! They would be Together Forever.
Finally, Stewart sounded the bell that announced Dean's
arrival and the start of the Ball. Each critter came out of their home in
awe of the downtown transformation. The Street Lights and Signs were all
adorned with lovely ribbons and greenery. Even Reginald's Newsstand
boasted a fresh coat of paint and a banner declaring it "Dean Griff
Day" in Squashville.
Reginald had worked long into the night to finish up
his project and stood nearby, proudly waving as Maxine called out,
"Picture Perfect" and snapped a photo with her camera.
"You're a Sweet Friend," he replied.
Crowds of critters gathered around Dean, clad in his
spiffy royal blue shirt. "May I Have Your Autograph?" they
inquired, and - as always - he was happy to oblige. "You're Berry
Special," Bunnie told Dean with a blush. "You're Cute As A
Button," Chauncey said. "You Make Me Proud," noted
Mackenzie as Dean signed his autograph book.
"What has been your favorite experience over the
years," asked Reginald, in reporter mode. (After all, he was the
editor of the Squashville Gazette!)
Dean paused a moment before answering. With his
familiar smile, he replied, "Ten Years of Making Friends."
"Your Friendship is Golden!" roared the
crowd.
Autograph time over, Lydia and Lancelot ushered
everyone to their seats. As the group settled in for the big event, a
whisper made its way around the room. "Where is Belle?" the
critters wondered. She was nowhere to be seen.
Just at that moment, Belle arrived. "I'm So
Sorry," she said
breathlessly. "I didn't mean to be late!"
But the crowd didn't hear her -- they were too
enraptured by her
appearance. Her feathers sparkled like the morning dew and her beak had
just the faintest touch of pink polish. She looked amazingly beautiful.
As the critters gathered around Belle to offer
compliments about her beautiful attire, Maxine wondered how long the
beautiful Belle had been part of Squashville. Quiet, unassuming and
friendly, she had blended in with the group so perfectly that no one could
quite recall when she made her first appearance there.
Can
you recall? What was her first appearance? And how many times has Belle
appeared in Squashville over the years? List the names of the pieces &
year of introduction. The SSC member who comes up with the most pieces
bearing the lovely Belle (all verifiable of course!) will be
declared the winner!
Note: This
includes both the "brown" and "blue" versions of Belle!
The winner will receive a special Rosemont Goodie
Package, compliments of Squashville Social Club! To e-mail your
entry to Erin (epbryan@lcc.net), just
click here.
Entries must be received no later than Midnight, Central Time, on
Saturday, September 28th.
Good luck, and have fun!!
Well, gang - that's all
for this Premier Issue of the Squashville Social Club Newsletter! We
hope you enjoyed it - and look forward to bringing you our next issue.
But HEY!! Have YOU got a CT
scoop? Do YOU want to share a story? Or maybe your favorite CT Photo? Know
of a good CT link that others should check out? Or just let us know
your comments about the new Newsletter! Email Erin epbryan@lcc.net
your thoughts or to get
your info in the next SSC Newsletter!
Charming Tails photos copyright by Fitz
& Floyd, Inc.
Key chain photo copyright Universal Laser Systems, Inc.
All other photos and artwork copyright Oak Leaf Publishing, Inc. |
