Kindred

Who else is thrilled to be watching Anne with an E Season 3?! The visual beauty of the production makes my dreamer heart sing, and I appreciate their contemporary twist on the Anne series. There is clever story telling, excellent acting, and a very thoughtful eye behind the camera. In the words of Anne, "Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world."

Minxy Vintage

I found this book (or it found me), rather appropriately, at the local thrift store along with some clothes to repurpose. I highly recommend! It was exciting for me because there were so many moments of "Wow, this lady crawled inside my brain!" in terms of fashion philosophy and winging it to produce some sartorial statements. Here's a particularly well-expressed tidbit of fashion philosophy I have to share: "I can attest to the importance of finding clothes you can integrate into your existing style. I'm not about stridently holding up the ideals of other eras--the modern world is grand. It's precisely the mix of old and new that I love...And who wants to be, or slavishly replicate, a woman in the pre-feminist 1940s? Certainly not me...Long live our love for cherry-picking the best bits from the past, and making them new again: reinvention, rather than nostalgia. Whatever you do, just make sure you own it. Individuality is a quality to be admired."--Kelly Doust, intriguing point.

Sans Reproche

I am amazed by the intricate details of this antique book. It is a Value Village find, Sans Reproche by Edmond Coz, circa 1913, although the Art Nouveau styling leads me to presume it's actually from the late 1800s.

Look at the stunning black and red cover art, with the misregistration of the black outlines over gold floral. That star pattern below the title gives me fabric collection coordinate ideas. Plus the book has gilded pages.

The flyleaf inscription even boasts this elegant handwriting! I feel like every time I turn the page of an antique book I am flinging open another door to clues of social and stylistic history--what a treasure hunt.

Bound by Joy

I have acquired the full Anne of Green Gables series, in the cheery floral hardcover glory that is the Tundra Books edition! To close this delightful year of 2017, here's an excerpt from Lucy Maud Montgomery's diary on Tuesday December 31st, 1889. "Well, journal, this is the last day of the old year. to-night we will say farewell to '89, with all its record of joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, and bid the New Year welcome. God grant that it may never record unfulfilled aspirations, unsatisfied longings, or ungathered flowers. Good-bye, dear old year. You have been on the whole a very happy one for me." 

Swing Dance Book

I'm devouring this book about Swing. It goes over the origins of the Charleston to various forms of Swing, complete with style and music info, dance tutorials, and excellent vintage and contemporary photographs of people swingin'! It makes me want to leap up and start dancing while reading (which I may have done)!

The Pretty Lady

I found this edition of 1918 novel The Pretty Lady by Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) at a book sale for a song. I admit...I bought it purely for the title and the glamorous gilded pattern on the black cover!

The Soldier's Service Dictionary

This pocket-sized dictionary is 100 years old. It was printed in 1917 by Funk & Wagnalls Company in New York. Then it was presumably used in WWI, and about 70 years later my mom picked it up at a book sale. I wonder if in between it was picked up and used in WWII.

The interior translates common military terms into French for practical use by the "Belgian, British, and French armies." It even translates geographical terms in a pictographic way.

Quite the fascinating read!

A Tangled Web

 Lucy Maud Montgomery's A Tangled Web, published 1931, is a novel about two intertwined founding families, and the drama of inheritance and romance. It is full of Montgomery's witty, descriptive observations.

Sketchbook

This is a week of observing, reading, pondering, and doodling. 

1897 Art Nouveau book cover of Sketchbook by Washington Irving, 1820.

Canadian Feed Bag Book

I have some fascinating reading to do! Check out this awesome book I found at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. It is full of domestic history, photos of different feed bags and companies, photos of quilts and crafts made with the vintage fabrics, and the memories behind it all. What a heartwarming and insightful resource.

L.M. Montgomery Journals

I found these delightful diaries at a used book store for a total of $15. The first volume begins with entries from Mongomery at age 15, and chronicles her friendships, school adventures, career development, and maturing introspection. She certainly had plenty of men falling head over heels for her! The journal entries are charming, witty, honest, and absolutely enthralling, and I can't get my hands on the next 3 volumes fast enough!

Limited Edition

My friend Anni gave me this oh-so-appropriate plaque. It's literary wit, 1950s atomic style, and quirkiness in a pleasantly coloured decorative accessory! It shall forever be on my bookshelf.

Enlightened Hearts

"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."
Ephesians 1: 17-21

Rose of Prose

My Rose of Prose design is up for voting in Spoonflower's Paper-Cut Florals challenge!

An Old Fashioned Girl

 I found this 1963 edition of An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott at a local thrift store for $0.25. It was illustrated by Dan and Norma Garris. Alcott has such a talent for selecting descriptive words, and there is a sweetness to all her writing. This is a coming of age story of a girl named Polly and her humble, pleasant life.

This name was written on the inside cover...doesn't it perfectly suit?

Laura Ingalls Wilder's 150th

The Little House on the Prairie books and TV show were a huge part of my childhood, and Laura's heartwarmingly simple descriptions will forever charm my imagination. I just read through this informative, picture-filled post, and this post about her faith, both in celebration of her would-be 150th birthday.

“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness--just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breath it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm.” 

--Laura Ingalls Wilder (February 7th, 1867--Februrary 10th, 1957, age 90)

Heidi

I found this beautifully illustrated vintage edition of Heidi by Johanna Spyri at a local thrift store for $0.50! It doesn't have a copyright date on the inside, but it looks like it's from the 1960s or '70s.

It was illustrated by Roberta Macdonald and, apparently, coloured by a creative reader! 

I've yet to read this classic, so I'm happy to have acquired a pretty version of it to read.

Hallelujah Chorus

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." 

--Isaiah 9: 6

Merry Christmas! Hallelujah!

The Sugar Plum Fairy's Adventure

This is my children's book cover illustration in response to a contest prompt from Lilla Rogers Studio. You may have noticed the little Make Art That Sells image on the side of my blog. I'm thrilled to say that I am taking MATS A & B, Assignment Bootcamp, and Creating Collections for Home Décor, which will bring me into fall 2017 with creative goodness! I'll probably be sharing some of my projects here and there along the way, so stay tuned! Here goes a long-awaited artistic adventure!

The Eternal Mind

"A book is a portion of the eternal mind caught in its progress through the world stamped in an instant, and preserved for eternity." --Lord Houghton (1809--1885)