Friday, July 30, 2010

List Six: The Beatrix Potter Bookshelf


If you remember I have a great fascination for all things Beatrix Potter as evidenced here and here!  One day, hopefully not too too far away, I am going to have a little shelf dedicated to nothing but books by and about Miss Beatrix Potter.  This amazing woman who created Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Miss Tiggy-Winkle and Jemima Puddle-Duck deserves a shelf all to herself I think.  Every nursury should include at least one of Potter's "little books" so if you have a little one and don't have a Beatrix Potter book I implore you to run out and get one as quickly as you can.

My love of Beatrix Potter's tales first started with The Tale of Peter Rabbit, like most young children.  A beautiful little copy was given to me by my grandparents on the Easter before my second birthday.  That little book is dearly loved as you can see from the photo above.  Yet I hadn't read many of Potter's other tales until I was older and honestly I think I have appreciated them all the more for that reason.  Potter's watercolors are those of a distinguised artist.  She was a student and avid observer of nature and it shines through in her art.

Here are a list of the books I would will be placing on my Beatrix Potter bookshelf:  (Some I have and some are waiting for the shelf to be created first!)

1. The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter that was given to me as an adult.  I love thumbing through it and reading a story here and there.

2. Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear.  The defintive biography of Beatrix Potter, highly recommended!

3. My beautifully worn copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit

4.  The Journal of Beatrix Potter from 1881-1897 by Beatrix Potter

5. The Fairy Caravan by Beatrix Potter.  A forgotten classic written later in Potter's life.

6. Beatrix Potter's Art: Paintings and Drawings edited by Anne Stevenson Hobbs

7. Letters to Children from Beatrix Potter by Judy Taylor


What is your favorite Beatrix Potter tale?  Mine would be The Tale of Peter Rabbit followed by The Tale of Miss Tiggy-Winkle but it's very tough to choose!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

For my mom on her birthday!

 
A coaster set and a "Summerhouse Seat Cushion" for my mom's new dining room table set.  (The seat cushion is not completed yet as I still need to trace it's seat.)
Coaster Set pattern from I Heart Patchwork

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

List Five: In my suitcase


I am leaving for Colorado for a couple weeks to spend some time with my family.  We are planning on doing a mini National Park tour to Rocky Mountain National Park and Arches National Park and then ending the week in the Glenwood Hot Springs!  (Not to worry, I have a few posts scheduled for while I'm gone.)

1. Crochet granny squares I'm working on to make into a pillow for all the down time travelling.

2.  Books: Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature and The Elegance of the Hedgehog

3.  Victor's Celtic Coffee Dark Guatemalan blend for my mom who loves it!

4. My beautiful vintage Haynes flute (of which I've been meaning to share with you about, hopefully soon).  Admittedly I am a little nervous to carry this onto the plane but I'm too excited to share music with everyone back in Colorado not to bring it!

5. My Zune uploaded with my new favorite CD by Jonsi Go

6. Two new capri pants from Lucy!

7. Fun ribbed tanks from Gap.

8. A swimsuit that I got on my honeymoon almost four years ago. (Yikes, I need a new suit maybe... but really it's only been worn a handful of times since I got it becauseI don't get to the swimming pool much here in the cooler Pacific Northwest.)

9.  Other random bits and jobbles that aren't really worth mentioning!

Happy Summer Travels!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Ebey's Landing

Ebey's Landing might be one of my favorite hikes in the Seattle area.  I first learned of this hike from 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles - Seattle that I had picked up shortly after moving here.  This hike traverses through Ebey's Landings State Park and National Historic Reserve, the first national reserve in the nation.  The reserve is located on Whidbey Island just outside the small town of Coupeville.  You walk up the along the bluffs with stunning views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains and then make your way down rounding Perego's Lagoon to finish the hike walking along the beach.  It edges next to farmland and there is a side trip you can take to the Sunnyside Cemetery which I haven't tried yet. 


The hike takes about 2-3 hours depending on how leisurely you want to be and afterward I recommend heading over to Coupeville and stopping in Toby's Tavern for a beer and a bite to eat.  They have great burgers, fresh Penn Cove mussels, and an excellent veggie basket. If you have some time stop into the Penn Cove Gallery, an artist cooperative, you won't regret it.  An artist is always on staff and is able to talk with you about any artwork in the shop.  A few of my favorites in the shop right now are Gary A. Leake's custom wood furniture and Kelly Kellogg's photography.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Once



Our weekend was filled with doing little chores around the house and yard but Saturday night we stayed in, cuddled on the couch and watched this lovely little film.  The actors wrote all the music themselves!

What fun things were you up to this weekend?

Friday, July 16, 2010

Book review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society


My mother-in-law lent me her copy of this book when I was last visiting her in March.  We have since then organized a little book club that includes my two cousins (see their blogs here and here), my sister, my mom and my mother-in-law.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was the second book we read together.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an epistolary novel which means it's a novel of letters.  (Don't worry I didn't know what epistolary meant either until our book club meeting when my literary cousin mentioned it.)  When I first thumbed through the book I thought, how could a plot actually develop through only letters?  But miraculously it does! 

The book begins in London post World War II with Juliet Ashton writing to her publisher and dear friend Sidney pondering what her next book should be about.  Soon she finds herself corresponding regularly with members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  (It is an interesting name for a book club to be sure and the story of how the society got it's name is a good one!) Through these letters Juliet unravels the story of Guernsey during the German Occupation.

For those of you that don't know Guernsey is part of the Channel Islands that sit in the English Channel between Britain and France.  After reading this book I am anxious to travel there. 

This book is filled with inspiring and inspired characters.  Some can't help but make you laugh, some make you think deeply, and some you want to just punch in the face.  Being a book about a literary society there is glorious talk about books some of which I had never heard of but are now waiting for me at the library to be read soon.  If your looking for a fun summer read I highly, highly recommend this book.

Here are a few quotes from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society to peak your interest:

"It was a sad wrench to part with the Selected Essays of Elia.  I had two copies and a dire need of shelf-room, but I felt like a traitor selling it... I wonder how the book got to Guernsey?  Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.  How delightful if that were true."

"Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books."

"It seems to me the less [Shakespeare] said, the more beauty he made. Do you know what sentence of his I admire the most?  It is 'The bright day is done, and we are for the dark.'  I wish I'd known those words on the day I watched those German troops land, plane-load after plane load of them - and come off ships down in the harbor!  All I could think was damn them, damn them, over and over.  If I could have thought the words 'the bright day is done and we are for the dark,' I'd have been consoled somehow and ready to go out and contend with circumstance - instead of my heart sinking to my shoes."

"Then she said, 'It would have been better for her not to have such a heart.' Yes, but worse for the rest of us."

"This obsession with dignity can ruin your life if you let it."

"The story is about to begin, and every day with be a new piece of plot."



What good books are you reading?

List Four: Things I'm afraid of as an adult


1. Changing lanes on the highway.

2. Worms (although the compost bin is helping me with that.)

3. Having the sheets tucked tightly around my body.  No snug in like a bug in the rug for me, thank you!

4. Throwing up.  I haven't thrown up since I was ten, let's hope that was really the last time.

5. Strange noises in the night.

6.  Loud thumps during the day.  (Birds seem to fly right into our big windows in the living room especially during the summer.)

7. Not being good enough.

8. Touching slimy sea creature at the aquarium... (look at my face, I'm desperately trying to be okay with it.  For some reason the sea cucumbers and sting ray are the worst!)

9. Those moments when I know that I can't hide and am going to have to be truly honest about myself.

10. My dad not seeking medical help for his legs.

11. The mole on the back of the right arm.

12. Being alone on a dark city street at night.

13.  Fear that my experience two years ago will happen again.

It seems fitting to stop with 13 although now that our anniversary is August 13th thirteen doesn't scare me.  What things are you afraid of?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Little Byrd Vintage

Images from: littlebyrdvintage 
This little Esty shop seems to be curated just for me!  Beautiful antique books, home goods, and lots of little birds.  Perhaps I shouldn't be sharing this great find with you after all, otherwise you might steal some of the beautiful things from me!  Do you have a favorite Esty shop?

Found vis elephantine

Sunday, July 11, 2010

List Three: Sewing Projects I've Done in my Head! (Part one: Clothes)



Image from: Purl Bee
1.  Summer Blouse from Weekend Sewing
2.  All-Weekend Sundress from Weekend Sewing
3. Yard Sale Wrap Skirt from Weekend Sewing
4. Flower Girl Dress from Weekend Sewing
5. Men's Shirt McCall's M6044
6.  Pretty as a Picture Dress from Handmade Beginnings
7.  Pajama Pants Simplicity 2500 
8.  White Cotton and Flower Print Sundress from Carefree Clothes for Girls
9. Blouse with Crocheted Doily Trim from Carefree Clothes for Girls
10. Jumper from Linen, Wool, Cotton
11. Mary Jane Slippers from Linen, Wool, Cotton
12. Birthday Party Dress from Oliver and S
13. Jump Rope Dress from Oliver and S

A New Clothes Line

The temperatures here have been hot the last few days making using the dryer an unwelcome task.  My husband graciously helped me put up a new clothes line.  Right now it's a rope tied between a big tree and the posts of our deck but it does the trick!

PS.  The clothes smell heavenly coming off the line!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

List two: Saturday Morning Cartoons


Old Saturday morning cartoons I remember watching as a kid.

1. Rainbow Brite
2. Care Bears and Care Bears Family
3. Fraggle Rock
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks
5. Muppet Babies
6. Smurfs
7. My Little Pony Tales
8. The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
10. The Wuzzles
11. Strawberry Shortcake
12. Duck Tales
13. The Flintstones
14. The Gummi Bears
15. The Jetsons
16. Scooby Doo
17. Looney Tunes
18. Alf
19. Danger Mouse
20. Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy
21. Garfield and Friends 
22.  Tom and Jerry
23. The Transformers

What cartoons do you remember watching?