Acknowledgements

Dear Friends,

I’d like to share some background with you about our new website for educators and children which comes to you through the Slobodkina Foundation.

Capsforsale.org was begun just about a year ago, but the materials and information that lie herein were created by a small group of people over a number of years. I’d like to acknowledge them here.

This website is dedicated to Esphyr Slobodkina, our founder and the artist/illustrator who started it all back in 1938. Capsforsale.org is another way the Slobodkina Foundation and I, personally, fulfill a promise to keep Esphyr’s storybooks and illustrations available to the public. 95% of the art objects you will view on these pages and future pages has been extracted and collaged into new scenes via computerization. Esphyr employed collage technique in many of her children’s book illustrations.

This website began as just a thought. Over time the thought morphed into the topic of a two-way and later 3-way dialogue. Rough planned sketches were undertaken with many transitions drafted. The final layout was made possible because of the help and support I received from the following people.

I thank Katherine (Katie) Grace Larsen. Extracting objects from Esphyr Slobodkina’s original and often intricate illustrations is a daunting task. Tracing and coloring every object so that it is a near replica of the original piece is painstaking work. Katie spent many years working with me on the Caps for Sale sequels to make sure that every flower had the correct petals, every tree it’s well defined leaves, every monkey it’s exact hairs. The houses, the Peddler, his bench, even his cup and bowl are all from Esphyr’s storybooks brought to you through Katie’s generous efforts.

I thank Emily Wasley and her band of teachers who filled the “Parents’ and Teachers’ Workshop” house with thought provoking and engaging programs for pre-k through 2nd.

I thank Mary Jane Neumann Cayton who provided us with wonderful drawings for the “Monkeys of The World” area, where a new drawing will be available for children to download and color each month.

Thank you to Karen Cantor Paul and Mary Jane Neumann Cayton for helping me with many of the activity pages prepared some years before this website was imagined.

Thank you to IT guy Peter Ingersoll. Peter gave many, many hours of his time pro-bono to help our non-profit reach the goal of providing free educational materials to young people. He patiently worked with our ever-expanding plans, offering his ideas and wise council over the months of production. He was always patient, kind and a terrific problem solver.

There is always someone who is vital to any successful endeavor. I have saved my thanks to that special person for last.

This website would not be what it has become without the hard work and keen thinking of my assistant Mary Chevalier. Ever grounded and detail oriented, Mary’s ideas and creativity add something special to nearly every page of Capsforsale.org. Mary has been by my side or on the other end of a phone overseeing project timelines, meetings, schedules and more all the way. She has been and continues to be my sounding board and design consultant. I am forever grateful for Mary’s tireless effort and support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Welcome all to Capsforsale.org! Visit often, enjoy and happy reading! Each month they’ll be more to come from the Caps for Sale team.

Sincerely,

Ann Marie Mulhearn Sayer
President