Such a crazy cool idea

December 8th, 2009 Comments Off

I was just poking around and chanced upon My Penguin: Naked Books.

The books (classics mostly, for now) are printed on the inside, and the covers left blank for any and all sorts of  artistic fancies. Check out the gallery to see the cool things people everywhere are doing with it!

Doesn’t this just draw out the book cover designer in you? I think I would choose Alice’s book (I can so relate – sometimes my world is as mixed-up topsy-turvy as hers), although I haven’t an inkling about what I would do with it. And if Wonderland isn’t your preferred destination, there are all these other options.

P/S: don’t forget there is a 10% discount at The Book Depository until 11th December.

A quick update

November 30th, 2009 Comments Off

I know it’s been a long while since the last update and I have been thinking a bit about what the future should be for this blog. I’m leaning towards closing it down completely for a while, but while nothing is decided yet, it will stay.

Meanwhile I have a piece of good news to share for all the book lovers: The Book Depository is giving 10% off all orders until 11th December, 2009! Remember, this comes on top of the free worldwide shipping.

The BookDepository

My personal picks:

  1. Madeline’s House: Madeline, Madeline’s Rescue, Madeline and the Bad Hat/Boxed Set of 3 Books (it’s 43% off!)
  2. The Intergalactic Guide to Space (DK)
  3. Curious George Complete Adventures Deluxe Gift Set or Curious George Story Book Collection (the boys absolutely adore the curious monkey)
  4. The McElderry Book of Aesop’s Fables (expensive but looks so beautiful)
  5. Mr.Popper’s Penguins (CD-Audio)
  6. What Katy Did, Peter Pan, Five Children and It (Puffin Audiobooks – we’ve been listening to Just So Stories from the same series and I say, it is superb.)

Me so clever

October 22nd, 2009 § 2

Here is a video I put together quite quickly in iMovie (I have been absolutely dying to use  that piece of music), and am feeling rather pleased with how it turned out, in that “see-what-a-clever-thing-I-have” done sort of way. Slightly embarrassing, considering how old I am!

An afternoon in pictures

October 13th, 2009 Comments Off

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My brother, a blank and willing canvas

October 10th, 2009 Comments Off

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Eye and Upper Lip Art: credits to J1.

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Feeling super inspired today by the photowork here:

LightedPixels (blog)
JinkyArt
Tina Rupp

Super wow. *heart a-flutterin’*

Ready to go on a bear hunt?

October 9th, 2009 Comments Off

This is so great. Am I the last to discover it?

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen.

It’s taken me this long to figure out how to embed videos. What’s wrong with me? Sigh.

Got the IDEA!

October 8th, 2009 Comments Off

Hello, are you still here?

I love that feeling of getting giddy and hopelessly overwhelmed with creative ideas, spinning and churning and flowing seamlessly, one leading to another. It’s the way you get when you feast on the incredible visuals from places like this, this and this.

On my immediate to-do list is an upcoming sixth birthday party for a certain special someone. I’m always thinking of doing something a little unexpected, since I’ve long decided to avoid the Ben-10/Power Rangers/Bakugan + variations route. The Peter Pan one is something I would really, really, like to to do sometime. Usually I am quite full of ideas and initial plans but in these last few weeks we fell under a general malaise due, in a large way, to a dullness of the creative spark. Brain drain is exremely worrisome when it strikes at the wrong time! Well. Time is running short – we are now closing in on the final two weeks of pre-party preparations and I am so relieved that I have finally got the IDEA. Better late than nothing, right?!

This year we are having a “Where’s Wally?” theme for J1’s birthday. Do you know what that is? Find out here (he’s known as Waldo in the US).

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The website has Wally graphics for free! I love that. I bought a batch of extra large buttons and I plan to print the graphics onto fabric (like here) and make them them into button badges (these are SO useful – I’ve used them here and here). Each child will also receive a mini “Where’s Wally?” book from this boxed set (managed to score this at 50% off, yay!) + a mini magnifying glass + a Wally activity booklet.

It is going to be a “semi-private” party, and by that I simply mean that we’re inviting just a handful of people in his inner circle of friends. We usually do this big thing where we have about 30 or 40 people, but I think a smaller gig will be nice and meaningful this year.

Ideas – check.
Supplies – check.
I am so ready to roll. I promise pictures – can’t wait!

I absolutely most definitely should not…

September 8th, 2009 Comments Off

But I’ve had my eye on these for awhile…

9781433506017

9781409508441

9780803728806

9780811858830

9781405687973

9781862308893

9788862930710

… just sitting like pretty eggs in my shopping basket now and I’m thinking that now might be a good time to use the code. (I really will have to trim the list quite a bit first…!)

10 Stories to end the day with

September 3rd, 2009 § 2

These are our current personal picks – tried, true and tested firsthand:

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1. Hey, Mama Goose by Jane Breskin Zalben
Familiar Mother Goose characters find themselves unusually connected through a central theme. Told in rhyming verse; lively, humourous illustrations with lots of little details to notice and talk about.

2. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
This is an absolute favourite, to be read over and over! A zookeeper says goodnight to all the animals but is in for a surprise himself. A completely wordless book, except for the characters saying “Good night” to each other.

3. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
A classic. The boys have a good time pointing out the animals and chiming in with the words they know.

4. How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends? by Jane Yolen
A sweet, gentle lesson about learning to be a good friend. I love How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight even more, but I don’t have that book (yet!).

5. Freight Train by Donald Crews
Follow the Freight Train as it zooms through tunnels and over trestles and learn numbers, colours and names along the journey.

6. Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond
A tiny bug goes for a walk and the story ends with eight, nine, no – ten new friends in bed together! This was J1’s very favourite book when he was just beginning to read on his own, and it still is!

7. Red Rockets and Rainbow Jelly by Sue Heap and Nick Sharratt
Nick and Sue like entirely different things, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be great friends! This book pops with colour and every spread is a visual treat. The illustrations are a nice blend of the two authors’ distinct styles. The other Nick + Sue books are great fun too: Faster, Faster, Nice and Slow (about opposites) and Alphabet Ice-Cream.

8. The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant
A sincere, heartwarming story to be read aloud, many, many times over! Soothing pastel colours.

9. My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza
Who says pigs are stupid? On the contrary, pigs are, in fact, one of the more intelligent animals and this story proves it. A clever tale in which the sly fox learns that there is one even slyer than he.

10. On Noah’s Ark by Jan Brett
Beautiful, intricate artwork, the kind that makes you want linger at every page and study every detail. So many kinds of animals – I can’t even name some of them! Although there is no direct reference to God in the text, it’s still perfect for showing the littlies how truly amazing the handiwork of the Creator is.

Start well. End well.

August 31st, 2009 § 2

Oh wow, has it been a month since I first mentioned this (not that anyone is keeping track, I am sure)?

At last, I’m happy to report that it is finally finished. I present the interactive calendar board:

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(I took inspiration from this, which I wish for + want, among other things, but certainly can’t + won’t spend that much on!)

The numbers needed to be fixed because of some major glitch and the whole thing was in serious danger of falling through in mid-production. Yes, I do have a history of starting things and then leaving them unfinished under a blanket of guilt. Nasty!

Well, it’s been bothering me like a relentless headache. And I am now so, so glad it is done. Those weather icons – my very favourite part – are pretty much perfect for the project and what’s more, they are available to download for free.

Start well. End well. Good advice.

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