Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless. —Terri Guillemets
Paddington, one of my favorite bears, and I are dropping in to wish you a “Happy Winter!” Stay warm and safe!
About the Image: “Paddington with Snowball,” the image above, is featured on a winter card my Love Notes friend Gina B sent last Christmas. Paddington is adapted from the original, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum. I have been looking forward to sharing him for a whole year! 😀
The Very Hungry Caterpillar story is about hope. You, like the little caterpillar, will grow up, unfold your wings and fly off into the future. –Eric Carle
Beloved children’s book author and illustrator, Eric Carle, passed away May 23 at 91 years of age, but I learned of his passing just this morning. I spent today’s joy break revisiting Carle’s books and illustrations and thinking about moments I spent with my little one reading and rereading his books. I even listened to the recording of my son “reading” Brown, Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1967) that I mentioned in a 2018 post (linked below).
It’s sad that we lost Carle, but it heartens me to know that he will live on and on through his works and in the memories of generations who were mesmerized by his colorful books.
If you’d like just a little more of Eric Carle, here are two more posts which feature Carle’s work:
Take a moment to (re)visit Carle’s work this weekend and have joy!
Pooh and friends on the bridge watching as Eeyore floating beneath. Artwork by Susan Alena.
Way back in February—it seems eons ago, right?—I went to my mailbox a few times to find Winnie-the-Pooh goodies. There were envelopes filled with stickers, letters, postcards, tags, bookmarks, and even earrings. I was über busy when most arrived, so I oohed and ahhed over them for a moment and placed them back in their envelopes to enjoy later.
Later came today.
Pooh makes a great themed mail package–as the not one, two, or even three, but the four Pooh packages I received prove.
First came the envelope from Tess E (Vontak on swap-bot) filled with Baby Pooh stickers, washi tape, and note paper.
Aren’t they cute?! I am using these to send letters to a few baby nieces this week. I was supposed to write these letters weeks ago, but life really gets in the way of the fun stuff.
Then, a gorgeous Red Bubble envelope arrived with four Pooh postcards from Geraldine J (NannyDino on swap-bot). [Click an image to view larger]
I thought that was the swap, but a week or two later I received a fun package of even more Pooh goodies from Geraldine. [Click an image to view larger]
The handmade storybook envelope was packed with a Pooh birthday card, homemade stickers, and miniature classic Pooh book covers for crafting–all enclosed in a red polka dot envelope bedecked with Canadian Pooh postage. That’s a wonderful load of Pooh!
Then, surprise! My swap-bot-“Cup and Chaucer”-artist-blogging friend, Holly M sent a handmade tag and card “just because.”
Holly has the neatest Pooh supplies. Check out the stamps and the hand-lettering. Her stamping skills almost inspire me to pull out my rarely [and/or never] used stamps and put them to use. Almost. I really don’t like the cleanup part.
I recall Holly was kind enough to send some adorable Pooh mail a couple of years ago: Holly Art!
Finally, Susan Alena (postmansdaughter on swap-bot) sent a package that floored me. All of it:
The hand-drawn art on the envelope.
The shrinky dink bookmark…
and earrings.
The watercolor that leads this post? Also, created by Susan.
If you ever wondered how much Pooh-love can be packed into an envelope, now you know. A whole lot.
Each sender gave her envelope so much time and attention. I know some people see it as “only mail,” but the mail often tells a story about the person’s heart. And–I do not take for granted how incredibly blessed I am to interact with so many beautiful people.
Please forgive my brief but unplanned blogging hiatus. I had a major project to complete which took nearly all my time and energy. Now, that it’s done, I can turn my attention to pretty things and lots of rest. For a little while, at least.
Since today is A.A. Milne’s birthday–also known as Winnie-the-Pooh Day–I’m dropping in to share the two Pooh postcards that hit my mailbox within the last few weeks.
As Shelby–who sent the postcard above for a “Literary Wisdom” swap--pointed out in her note, we can almost always find wisdom in children’s books. Of course, she imparted an additional bit of Pooh wisdom:
We didn’t realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun.
Isn’t this true? As kids, we are just in the moment, but years later, the memories warm us.
For a Winnie-the-Pooh postcard swap, Alyssa of Alberta, Canada sent a card featuring an “updated” Pooh in red shirt walking past the London Bridge.
I always get to where I am going by walking away from where I have been.
Pooh’s wisdom comes off as simple and matter-of-fact, but there is incredible insight about the human experience in his [Milne’s] words. We get nowhere unless we’re willing to walk away from the things and places that hold us back.
I wonder if Pooh is interested in being my life coach?
If you need a little more Hundred Acre Wood sweetness, check out my “Happy Winnie-the-Pooh Day” post from two years ago.
Enjoy your favorite day!
I hope you’re prepared for some super cuteness this evening. The postcards below were sent for Children’s Book Illustration swaps 49 and 50 on swap-bot. I had never heard of “Gumnut” or “Wattle” Babies, and then suddenly I was introduced to them when not one or two, but three postcards featuring May Gibbs’ Australian Bush Babies made it to my mailbox within days of each other.
CBI 50: Original watercolor for The Gum Blossom Ballet from Snuggle Pot and Cuddlepie, 1918. Illustration by May Gibbs (1877-1969)
This first card came from Yvonne and Jeana, who sent the Bunyip and Magic Pudding Maxicards I shared earlier this year. The card features the “Gum Blossom Ballet,” from the book Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs.
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie are:
two adventurous little gumnut foster brothers who long to see a Human. Snugglepot, the leader, and the gentle Cuddlepie are good friends with Mr Lizard and Little Ragged Blossom and together go on many heroic adventures.
And what are gumnuts?
[Gumnuts are] the first of the bush babies, the inquisitive Nuts are full of fun and mischief. They love all the Bush Folk, but are a little afraid of lizards and snakes. Mrs Kookaburra is most fond of them as they make her laugh. In the hot sun they hang their heavy heads over the swaying leaves and sleep. –from May Gibbs website
I “met” Jess, another Australian swapper, earlier this year. Like Yvonne and Jeana, she also adds unique postcards to my CBI collection. She sent two Wattle Babies postcards.
BLC CBI 49: Original watercolor for frontispiece of Wattle Babies, 1918. Illustration by May Gibbs
The cheerful Wattle Babies are the most good-natured of all the Bush Babies. Their bright yellow clothes brighten the bush on a Winter’s day. In Spring they love to go boating and swimming with their frog friends and have fun playing hide and seek with the baby birds. —-from May Gibbs website
BLC CBI 50: “Wattle Babies.” Illustration by May Gibbs
These are some pretty impressive watercolors!
Gibbs (1877-1969) was an English-Australian children’s author, illustrator, and cartoonist. She was best known for her “bush babies” or flower fairies. Her works have entertained the children of Australia for more than a century.
Gibbs willed her works to the Northcott Society and Cerebral Palsy Alliance. As a result she has helped thousands of children and their families. You can learn more about May Gibbs, her work, and charities here: May Gibbs.
See you tomorrow…
CBI 57: La vie des mini-héros. Illustration by Oliver Tallec.
From time to time the mini hero must stop being a mini hero.
Isn’t this an adorable postcard?
The postcard, featuring a mini hero, came from Valériane (LuneDePapier on swap-bot) of Brittany, France. She rightly assumed I would love the postcard because of the humor.
La vie des mini-héros [Life as a Mini Hero] was authored by French illustrator Olivier Tallec. The books are designed for preschoolers:
Clad in bright suits that bespeak their daring deeds, these mini heroes live their daily lives assailed by all sorts of difficulty and disaster. Whether jumping rope on the playground, eating towers of ice-cream, or hanging upside-down from the ceiling, they are never short of plans and prospects! Sometimes, it’s true, they have to pause, which may be the greatest challenge of all. –Google Books.
Tallec has illustrated more than 50 books, including the gorgeously illustrated This is a Poem That Heals a Fish. [The link leads to a Brain Pickings article filled with images from the book].
You can find out more about Tallec’s work through this brief interview: Interview with Olivier Tallec.
Until tomorrow…
I haven’t done a post featuring children’s book illustration (CBI) postcards in a long time, so I decided to dedicate three posts this week to CBI postcards. I have more than 60 to share; I won’t get caught up this week, but I’ll do what I can.
Today’s offering…Dikkie Dik! Both cards below were sent for Children’s Book Illustration Postcard swaps on swap-bot. The cards came from Dutch swappers, Marianne and Marleen.
CBI Swap 30: Dikkie Dik. Illustration by Jet Boeke, 2017
Dikkie Dik is a series of Dutch children’s books featuring a naughty orange cat named Dikkie Dik. The cat originally appeared on the Dutch version of Sesame Street (SS). According to Marianne, who remembers fondly the stories from SS, the books are “cute with big illustrations and very little text.”
BLC CBI Swap 57. Dikkie Dik. Illustration by Jet Boeke.
The Dikkie Dik books are illustrated by Jet Boeke and written by Arthur van Norden. Though the series began in 1978 as stories told to children on Sesame Street, the books soon made their way to bookstores. There are now hundreds of Dikkie Dik stories to enjoy.
Dikkie Dik Postage Placeholder. Illustration by Jet Boeke
Dikkie Dik doesn’t look so naughty to me, but looks can be deceiving. I guess, I’ll have to read some of the stories to know for sure.
I’m back with two more children’s book illustration (CBI) postcards. These come from Yvonne and Jeana [MelbourneGirl on swap-bot], mother-daughter swappers who hail from Australia. I love receiving children’s book illustrations from other countries, and Yvonne and Jeana do not disappoint. The characters and books illustrated were new to me, so I was over the moon when I received these cards.
The first card was sent several months ago for Book Lovers Congregate (BLC) CBI Swap #33; it features an illustration from The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek (1973) written by Jenny Wagner and illustrated by Ron Brooks:
One night something very large and muddy heaved itself on to the bank of Berkeley’s Creek. ‘What am I ?’ it murmured. ‘What do I look like ?’ A platypus told him he was a bunyip. But what is a bunyip? Although everyone had an opinion, no one really knew. So the bunyip set off to find out for himself. —Google Books
The Bunyip of Berkeley Creek. Illustration by Ron Brooks.
Of course, I had to do a bit of exploring to learn more about the book, and Google did not disappoint. Here’s a book trailer with more wonderful illustrations:
And here are detailed reviews of the book with more images: We Read It Like This or Dad Reads: Stories for Grown-ups About Stories for Children.
The second card, received for BLC CBI Swap #43 just days ago, features an illustration from another classic Australian children’s book, The Magic Pudding, written and illustrated by Norman Lindsay. The postcard celebrates 100 years since the book’s publication in 1918.
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay. First published in 1918.
I “found” the illustrated book on Gutenberg. Happy dance! I’ll get my guys to read it with me during the Thanksgiving holiday. Hubby is a storyteller, so he’s always “game” for a good tale. In his “tweendom,” the not-so-little-one eschews anything “babyish,” but he’ll go for it if it’s a family activity.
The Guardian features a cute gallery of pictures in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the book. I learned that Lindsay wrote the book “reportedly to settle an argument with his friend Bertram Stevens, claiming children preferred to read about food than fairies.” I wonder who won???
Did you notice the postage stamp and postmark on the front of the cards? Those aren’t machine errors. They’re intentional. The cards are called maxicards; the coveted postcards feature the “first day of issue” postmark and stamps related to or identical to the images on the front of the cards. You can learn more about them via the Postcrossing blog.
These cards are just so delightful! Thanks, Yvonne and Jeana for introducing me to classics in Australian children’s literature. I’m looking forward to reading both books!
It’s been several months since I last shared children’s book illustration [CBI] postcards, so I have a lot of catching up to do. I assigned partners for the public and group swaps #44 [on swap-bot] a few days ago, but with the exception of the special posting of the sunflower from one of the #30 swaps, I’m only up to #24 on the blog. So much for not falling behind.
Instead of picking up where I left off chronologically, I decided to share the four “bear” cards from the Brown Bear collaboration of writer Bill Martin, Jr. and illustrator Eric Carle.
All were sent to me by Geraldine [Nannydino on swap-bot], one of the swappers who faithfully joins the CBI swaps. The postcards she selects for me always, always, always result from a careful reading of my profile, but it was [still] so thoughtful of her to send me every one of the bear book covers for four separate swaps. It freed me to send these blank Carle cards in my own collection to someone else. After all, postcards filled with ink, stamps, and postal markings are way more interesting than blank postcards.
Here are Carle’s bear illustrations–sent for swaps #33, 36, 38, 41.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is the first book in the Brown Bear series; it was originally published in 1967. The cover above is from the 1992 edition.
The duo came together again more than two decades after Brown Bear to collaborate on Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? The book, published in 1991, was designed to help toddlers identify animals and their sounds.
Published in 2003, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? focuses on the world of endangered animals.
Published in 2007 Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? is the final book in the Brown Bear collaboration. In this one Baby Bear learns about North American animals while on his quest to find Mama.
Baby Bear holds a special place in my heart because I have a wonderful recording of my son “reading” it when he was about 18 months old. My mommy heart swoons each time I hear his tiny toddler voice rhythmically repeating the lines from the book. The Carle illustrations were among his favorites. And they are still among mine.
If you’re interested in the unique way Carle creates his illustrations, follow the link in my sunflower post.
Until tomorrow…
It’s “Sunflower Week” on Pics and Posts, so I’m sharing a children’s book illustration postcard out of sequence because…well, it’s a sunflower! 😉
Samantha (Sammoning on swap-bot), from the Netherlands, sent the Eric Carle postcard below for Children’s Book Illustration Postcard swap #30.
Eric Carle, “Summer”
If you’re familiar with Eric Carle, the author/artist of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, you probably recognized the sunflower as his work immediately. The postcard comes from the World of Eric Carle 100 Postcards, a delightful collection full of the artist’s brilliant work. There is very little information about the postcard. The image was posted on Carle’s blog almost eight years ago with no other detail but the title. It is part of his “season’s collection.”
By the way, if you need a dose of the warm fuzzies, you should really check out his blog.
Carle has “written and/or illustrated more than 70 picture books.” His collage illustrations are made with hand-painted tissue paper. If you’re looking for a fun (and easy) art project to help you decompress after a long work day, check out Carle’s slideshow in which he shares his technique: How I Paint My Tissue Papers.
And if you’re (ever) in Amherst, Massachusetts, check out the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
See you tomorrow…with even more sunflowers.
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