Celebrating Dickens & Dr Seuss

I'm off to see Dickens' Women tonight at the Arts Centre. I love Miriam Margoyles... Her incredible sense of the ridiculous really appeals to me. If you haven't yet seen this Denton interview (it's in 4 parts) you're guaranteed to giggle.

Febraury, the 7th, marked the bicentanary of Charles Dickens' birth date. Dickens 2012 is an international celebration of the life and work of Charles Dickens. There's a list of events happening internationally to celebrate. Do you have a favorite Dickens novel? I must confess I've never read any....mmmmm, I know I can't believe it. In order of it being his bicentenary I may just have to read my first.... (movies and plays don't count. Them, I have seem).
This made me laugh....Wikipedia on Charles Dickens..... 'Dickens's work has been highly praised by writers such as Leo Tolstoy, George Orwell, and G. K. Chesterton for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism, though others, such as Henry James and Virginia Woolf, have criticised it as melodramatic, sentimental, and implausible.' Literature (like life, I guess) really is a highly personal journey. What one praises, another finds implausible.....and there lays the beauty of life.

Now from novelist to................. Dr Seuss' whose birthday it is today. It seems fitting to pay tribute to the day with some rather ridiculous Dr Seuss link love:
Seussville, the official Dr Seuss website
Take the Dr Seuss trivia quiz.
Dr Seuss quotes
Montessori inspired, One Fish Two fish Maths activty
Dr Suess biography....he was born in Springfield in 1904.

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
― Dr. Seuss

Do you have a favorite Dr Seuss book? I personally had a love hate relationship with the books as a child. I read them but I wasn't sure I really liked them. I'd get a funny feeling similar to motion sickness. I have the same feeling, to this day, when I read Dr Seuss to Z....and I still can't work out exactly what it is that makes me feel this way. I did enjoy this film however.

Happy weekend. xox

Library Tuesday

Our book on loan today from the library is Monday by Anne Herbauts. Anne is a Belgian illustrator with a swag of beautiful books to her name. It's a visual and textural treat about, Monday, a Penguin who likes to stay warm. It really is an enchanting little tale for children and parents alike... Little fingers can feel their way across raised snowflakes and trace their sweet penguin pal as he disappears from the page in a blizzard. It's another gorgeous book published by Tate.

I also came across this beautiful illustration blog today by Malaysian illustrator Amy Ng. It's a feast of gorgeous works. I'm especially taken by Matthew Walkerdine's artwork. There's something so subtle and emotive about it....

Below is a little project I've set myself. To photograph the date somewhere along my day, for a month. What I don't post here you'll be able to find here in Flickr.

Adios lovelies. Till next time, I bid you good times xox

Library Tuesday

Tuesday seems to be turning into our day for a little jaunt to the library. We discovered this book on the shelves today, 'It's a Book' by Lane Smith. I love it. A book........no add ons, no noises, demanding beeps or inconvenient ringing...... a book.

"Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated."
- Confucius

Over & out. I have a pile of books awaiting my attention......& a pile of washing for that matter.

Simple pleasures hey. Enjoy x

Bathing in Autumnal gold

I'm a huge lover of Sonya Delauney. The circular shape and earthy colours of this drinking fountain evoke a feeling of her work, for me.

These photos, again, were taken on our morning walk. I'm in love with this golden colour of Autumn which seems to permeate our day. There's something so uplifting about 'gold'.

Today I've enjoyed reading:
this post by Jane, at My Pear Tree House, Is it a Painting or real life room?

& numerous books tucked up in bed this afternoon, while my little man recoups from his cold. One of my favourite childrens book, "I wish I had flown with Amelia Earhart" written by Leonie Young & Avril Janks; illustrayed by Tohby Riddle, sadly seems to be out of print now. I purchsaed it a few years back from the Salvos Op Shop on Crown Street, Paddington. The thing I love most about this book is to dream big but to work in everyday ways to make the dream come about....like Amelia did...driving trucks & selling sausages!! It's the little steps, accrual of time, remaining present while always maintaining the dream (mmm, a big one for me. Distraction is the #1 killer of my dreams. More single pointed focus required, I say).

I read this post yesterday 'What if I am?', obviously it's stayed with me. A beautiful post, by Dana at One Haute Plate, about jumping in and living your dream.

Look!

We caught the tram into the city today. It was a huge adventure for The Little Man. The tram trip alone was enough to warrant our trip a sensational success, in his eyes.
However, I was keen to take a look at the State Library's current exhibition...titled...none other than, 'Look! the art of Australian picture books today'. It's a free exhibition on until the 29th May and I highly recommend a visit.
It's quite enchanting. I'd actually like to return, sans Little Man, to really take my time and appreciate these incredible illustrators, all with such differing styles.
My favorite illustrator, who I stumbled across recently at the local library (not literally, I mean her book, 'The Tomorrow Book'), is Sue de Gennaro. Sue's illustrations are just delightful. Collage is a medium dear to my heart and the way Sue has worked with completely recycled materials (all found in her home or studio) for The Tomorrow Book, is totally inspiring. Her blog 2lb elephant is an optical treat too.

My Daddy is a Pretzel

We spent a great day today hanging out with friends eating yummy homemade food, playing and laughing. Always a wonderful tonic.

This afternoon we came across this fantastic book at the St Kilda library. We'll work a few of these moves into our morning agenda tomorrow.
The introduction to this book talks about finding figures who possess qualities worth striving for. This is something I would love to cultivate more of, not only in Ziya's life but my own. There's a world of incredibly inspiring people out there to draw upon.

Maya Angelou is a 'figure who possesses qualities worth striving for'. I happened upon this quote today: If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. 
- Maya Angelou