crooked house

Taschen's The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm

Sara just alerted me to the existence of this book and it is definitely going on my wishlist. The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm contains 27 fairytales and lots of vintage illustrations from the 1820s to the 1950s. They are STUNNING. You can leaf through 100 pages of the book here.

 

Drink the Wild Air

Ralph Waldo Emerson, found on Lauren Cerand's How I'll Spend My Summer pinterest board. (It's way more fun to plan how you'll spend your summer than to recap it once you're back "in school.")

Are You My Mother? Maud Interviews Alison Bechdel

Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama, Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir (is that a thing?) about her relationship with her mother. Maud Newton talks to her about it in this really intriguing interview.

AB: One of my earliest, most powerful memories of my mother is playing this game where I would be a crippled child like the kids I would see at the orthopedic wing of the hospital when I would go to get my fallen arches checked up on. I was just fascinated with these children, with their external signs of disability, their crutches and braces and big shoes. There was something about that that I needed to reenact, and my mother entered into that imaginary space so willingly with me and in such an encouraging way. Even though I knew there was something weird about having this fantasy about disabled children, she didn't sensor it. She encouraged me to go with it, and I feel like she probably did that with me in lots of imaginary games as a kid but for some reason this is the one that I remember the most vividly. And I speculate in the book that it's because it was a fantasy that she shared to a certain extent as well.

 

BNR: And when your OCD was making it really difficult to keep the diary, your mom would write down your entries. I remember that from Fun Home, too, and both times it gave me chills. The devotion implicit in it.

 

AB: Oh my God, that was another pivotal moment. She would sit there and write down everything I said. It was amazing. It also becomes weirdly this template for my relationship later with therapists, other women who would sit there and take down notes on what I was saying.

Portrait of a Small Boy Reading

By Gluyas Williams via Heidi Robbins.

Sprinkles on Frosting Birthday Party Invitation

While looking for birthday party invitation ideas for Luke's upcoming birthday,  we found this gorgeous hand-lettered assemblage made out of sprinkles on frosting. I also love Rose's "theme." Luke had already decided that his was going to be "Roblox, Ninjas, and Angry Birds."  Don't know if we have the time and the patience to make an invitation like this one, though.

Alice Illustrated

I get the Dover Pictorial email sampler and this week they shared some images from Alice Illustrated: 120 Images from the Classic Tales of Lewis Carroll. I'm adding it to my wishlist.

Illustrator Virginia Lee

This illustration is a perfect description of my relationship to winter. I am thinking of buying a print. I found Virginia Lee's website after happening upon a book she illustrated -- Persephone -- on Amazon.

Beckett's Fail Better

Although this is the finished print, if I were still teaching the first grade, I think I'd make up similar work sheets for my class to complete. They'd make a fun display. (See also Beckett for Babies, one of my own failure, of which there are many.)

For Your Valentine: A Box of Love

As seen on TV! A box of 100% pure love. You can purchase this as a print or as a set of valentines. Wouldn't it be perfect as an actual box?

Odd Book of the Week: The Wonder Book of Boredom

Not a real book but I wish it were. By Glenn Baxter.