Last Day of Book Week November 15, 2008

Thanks again Anne for organizing Book Week.  I have enjoyed sharing some of my favorites and adding to my list of must reads from your site and the other players!

My last book I’m sharing is Ooh-la-la, Max in Love by Maira Kalman.  Really it’s a Maira Kalman love-fest and I recommend any and all of her work.  She is the author & illustrator of many children’s books.  My favorite is actually Max Makes a Million, but I couldn’t find it.  Oh-la-la is the sequel.

She is also an designer and an all around kick ass artist.  Check out her webpage and watch The Elements of Style short movie.

I wish I were as cool as Maira Kalman!

Book Week:: Day 4ish November 14, 2008

I just sorted through the boys books, pulling out a big box to donate to my son’s school.  In the process I came across this book I want to share.  It’s The Wonderful Towers of Watts by Patricia Zelver pictures by Frane Lessac.

It’s the true story of Sabato “Sam” Rodia and his
amazing sculptures/towers made over the course of 33 years using found & repurposed  materials.  I’ve never seen the actual Watts Towers but hope to one day.

The illustrations are done in a folksy way that works well with the subject.

I’m guessing he didn’t care much what other thought of him.

When I taught first grade I read this to the class and it often inspired the kids to do amazing mosaic sculptures of their own.  There are many good lessons to take from this book, read it to your kids and see where it takes you!

Book Week :: Day 3 November 12, 2008

Back to vintage.  I found this little beauty on the 3rd day of a rummage sale.  The day they are practically giving stuff away and still there are no takers.  I couldn’t believe it was still there and I stuffed it into my brown paper dollar a bag  and happily made my way out of the dust and slim pickins.  The book is called My Very Own Seasons and it was published in 1967.

And my favorite illustration.  The faces on the snow flakes blobs are fetching.

edit:  Blurry eyed and sleep deprived = not so witty post with depressing photos.  Come back tomorrow for more of the same, if nothing else you can come for the sport of watching my readership TANK!

Book Week :: Day 2 (okay, NIGHT 2)

I had a stack of vintage children’s books by my computer to share this week.  I am a sucker for vintage books.  Old books that have been held by many hands, books with crazy inscriptions, antique books with their letterpressed illustrations, books with timeless concepts and books with antiquated ideas and dreams.  I love them.  But then I read Anne’s posts and got actual suggestions for books to buy my guys for Channukah and I realized maybe I should share some books that can still be bought at your local bookshops or everyones’ local Amazon.

One of my all time favorites is called What! Cried Granny : An Almost Bedtime Story by Kate Lum and Adrian Johnson .  In the story Patrick comes to stay with Granny but does not come that well prepared.  I do not want to ruin it for you but Granny is very crafty and builds a bed, plucks feathers and stuffs a pillow, makes a quilt, whips up a softie and is an all around patient and pretty cool Granny.  I like it because it makes us laugh, because the Granny is resourceful and strong and because the grandson gets away with a little trickery which always makes the kids smile big.

And now from smiling to big sappy tears streaming down your face.  Patricia Pollaco writes meaty kids books and I love her for it.  Mrs Katz and Tush is my favorite.

From Amazon,

In this special Passover story, Larnel Moore, a young African-American boy, and Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish woman, develop an unusual friendship through their mutual concern for an abandoned cat named Tush. Together they explore the common themes of suffering and triumph in each of their cultures.

I always choke up at the end of this one.  I haven’t been able to read it since my husband’s grandmother died but maybe it’s time to pick it up again.

And in case you haven’t read The Keep Quilt, get it out of your library.  Fabric + history = A quilt.

I recommend P. Pollaco for kids who are 7 years or older.  While beautiful picture books, they are also text and content heavy!

Enjoy book week. Please feel free to leave your favorites and/or suggestions in the comment section!

Book Week :: Day One November 11, 2008

Anne from Green Jello has planned my blog this week and I’m ever so thankful.  It is Book Week on her blog.  Check out GJ for a list of other bloggers playing along and to get some tips on good Children’s books.

Here is a book from my childhood.  I love the illustrations.  My aunt Donna gave me this book, so says the inscription!  Thanks Kindred.

……………….

I also have some thank yous to catch up on.  First I need to thank Paige from Funny Magic for sending me the most delicious box of homemade cookies.  The reason I do not have a photo is NOT because I ate them all too quickly.  By myself.  It just isn’t.  Moving along.  Thanks to my pretend childhood friend, you rock and happy 38th!

I also owe a thank you to Anne from Book Week fame at Green Jello for sending me my very own Mold-O-Rama lion.  I think this is a regional thing.  I had never heard of Mold-O-Ramas before Wonderfalls (why they canceled that I do not know, I thought it had legs!).  Then Anne featured one on her blog and I commented on it.   I can’t actually remember.  I think I may have kind of asked for one.  But in a classy, non-tacky way.  Here is my little molded plastic cutie, I love him.  Thank you!

Alphabet Sunday, A November 9, 2008

My friend Lauren and I were inspired to piracy by 3191 to do something collaborative in an effort to improve our photography skills, do something creative together online and have a little fun in the process.  So today kicks off “Alphabet Sunday”.

Taking another page from the minds of 3191, we aren’t talking about the shots beforehand and I will pick mine before opening up her Sunday shot.  Lauren’s photos will be on the left and mine on the right.

Feel free to play along in your blog or in your head.  Next Sunday will be “B” and so on.  (C is for complex!)

.A is for Aquarium.                                                            .A is for Accomplishment.

Interestingly, we both had a personal goal to take non kid shots and both found that to be harder than imagined!  Let’s see what “B” brings…

In the Market for a Bargain? November 8, 2008

Today, November 8th, and tomorrow, the 9th some vintage sellers on Etsy are participating in the Vintage Market Sale. Just enter VMS into a vintage search on Etsy and there will be some bargains to be had!

I have listed some new items at a discounted price and have marked down others.  They are in the VMS section of my shop!

Convo me if you’ve had your eye on something in the shop and we just might be able to work out a deal.  I’m in the SALE spirit this weekend!

These are things I have just listed or will be listing soon.

I’m hoping this book will appeal to all the steampunks on Etsy!

I got this vintage teether mint in package at Brimfield this fall.  I’m a sucker for that red background!

Vintage metal bird sculpture, unmarked and unfazed!

Enjoy your weekends!

Tracey

Pretending This is Mine November 7, 2008

I took some shots last craft night of Lauren and Kate’s place.  They both have supreme taste and whenever I am there I move them out in my mind and move my family in.  I usually end up keeping most of their belongings, I just merge them with my favorite pieces and it’s a comfortable place to reside.  They probably think I am listening to them but really I am just evicting them in my brain.  I am also evicting their crazy, smoking, mice loving downstairs neighbors as well.  Does anyone else do this or is this a(nother) case of oversharing?  Love you K & L (even more than your stuff)!

Doesn’t that ring make you jealous?  Kate picked up the WineMan during our trip to Brimfield.  He was a bargain, he’s handsomely moustached and he does his job well!

I love the paper tablecloth under our spread.  In addition to crafting we did some consuming.

I

Lauren’s Egyptian nesting dolls that might “disappear” one day.

&

This chair is my favorite in my favorite room (and not just because the huge ass t.v. is in there).

See Greg’s hand.  He’s funny.  He was going to stick his foot in the shot but it was too sore from kicking Hannah’s craft tackle box.

Check out the Pachinko game in the corner. Too cool.

The most amazing jewelry rests here!

Crocheted Kewpie doll.  Lauren and I are starting a little Sunday something for the blog.  T.B.A.!

I should note these were both taken at the END of the night.  I LOVE craft night SO MUCH.  Love ya ladies!

This is Cindy regrouping.  She had a tangle with the sewing machine and it looked like the machine was going to come out on top but she has tenacity this woman!  And her son has a kickin’ pair of orange pants hand made by mama to prove it!

And I almost forgot about the doll set that belonged to Kate’s grandmother that she beautifully displayed in the dining room built-in.

I had my typical response.  I stood there calculating how much I could sell them for on Etsy.  Etsy filter in full effect.

Oh Happy Day November 5, 2008

I’m just going to keep adding today as the spirit moves me.

.

.

.

.

I woke up with this happy sight greeting me in my inbox this morning!

And as I took down the haunted house and the rest of the Halloween display this morning, I was inspired to put these up in the window.  Maybe there is a metaphor in there somewhere…

And another thing, if you haven’t checked out the incredibly creative, witty and slightly twisted mind and photos of Ms. Eartha Kitsch on Flickr you really should.  Her wedding set is pure perfection, her house set makes me ooze jealousy and her “son” jack set scares the bejeezus out of me.  Late last night she posted this collage and she’s given me permission to post it.

She says, “Right now I feel about as euphoric as a young and beautiful, perfectly proportioned, highly paid 1950’s era Jantzen swimsuit model being showered in Hershey’s kisses while being serenaded by beautiful chalkware birds! I want to buy the whole world a Coke right now. Or a sweet tea. Yes, that’s it – sweet tea for everybody!”

What she said!