The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories

It arrived and its everything I wanted.  I finished the book wishing there were more pages, which is a good thing.  There's and second (available) and third volume (still being produced) that I will have to add to my Christmas wish list (one is never to old for a Christmas wish list ;)).
Not only do you find yourself marvelling in the wit, humor, sadness, or beauty that can be packed into a few shot lines but best of all it stimulates your imagination and creativity.  I'm feeling the urge to use my next nap time to see what tiny stories I can create.

Tiny Things

Beautiful tiny moments, Baby and Daddy.  (my personal photo please ask permission before using)

 

Tiny things can be beautiful, plain, sad, happy, bring joy, bring memories.  Tiny things can make a huge impact - the straw that broke the camels back, a needle in a haystack. Tiny things are that once in a lifetime moment, the smell of summer, your babies first laugh - a nanosecond of wonderful!

Which is why I'm intrigued  by 'The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories'  by Joseph Gorden-Levitt (whom I love as a actor).  I stumbled across it when looking for something completely unrelated on the book depository and after reading several reviews I'm now waiting for it to be delivered.  This is what the book depository had to say:
In December 2010, hitRECord self-published the first volume in the "Tiny Stories" series. The collaboration received over 2,300 contributions, from which Joe and the creative collective edited together 32 illustrated stories. This volume in the "Tiny Stories" series will contain all new material created through the same collaborative process on hitRECord.org as directed by RegularJOE. "The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories" is the first book in a current 3-book partnership between hitRECord and It Books.  

A collaboration of art and stories, sounds amazing. Amazon reviewers further perked my interest by talking about the amazingly emotive effects that a few short lines and an incredible image can invoke.  Once the book arrives in my hot little hand I'll let you know if it lives up to my expectations.  However the concept alone, makes me love Joseph Gorden-Levitt  just a little bit more!

FYI This is the associated website.  I confess I haven't perused it yet, my child is a cat napper, the fact I am able to write this post without entertaining a 10 week old at the same time is a miracle in itself!

On Being Enchanted

I have just finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
This is the book I wish I'd written.
It is beautiful, imaginative, enchanting.
It reminds me of the art of two talented ladies.

Parasol

Thirteen

Louise Robinson of Art and Ghosts creates these and other works of spellbinding loveliness. Each finely detailed creation seems to be a snippet of an unknown fairy tale. (My favorite is the 'Red Haired Twins' but you'll have to peek at her website to discover them for yourself.)

 

Delia and her dancing Bears

The Illustrated Man

 

Then there's the art of Emily Winfeild Martin (aka The Black Apple). Her illustrious pieces are quaint and quirky, perfect to add a little whimsy to your home.

 

And that's the best part, the works of both are can be purchased online - find the Black Apple here, and Art and Ghosts here.

 

Wishing you all an enchanting weekend! *KT

 

Elsewhere



The Exquisite Book - via the exquisite book website (see below)

"The Exquisite book, 100 Artists Play A Collaborative Game" - what an exquisite idea - via Fancy New Zealand Design Blog

I wanted to feature the beautiful, unexpected, weaving art of Claudette Collis, but she has no contact details to ask if this would be possible... so... to see the magic of this Gisy girl click above...

Check out the amazing book art of Boukje Voet, found via Upon A Fold...

V & A prints available online - I luv the botanical ones, via Decor8

Getting into a summer fitness regime - been swimming twice this week... kudos where kudos is due - Casey RACE in Cranbourne is a fabulous aquatic centre!

Today it feels like summer.... Raspberry and mint mojitos! Yay! (hay, I swam a km this morning! I deserve it!! ;))

Have a fabulous weekend!

Peter Madden {bookworm}

Peter Madden is the creator of these amazing one of a kind 'artist books'...

 Memento Morie and Misguided Angels

Valentine Box (not strictly a book but beautiful none the less)

They seem magical, medievil, right out of King Arthers Avalon, or Titania's fairyland... Enchanting, Breathtaking, Marvelous... Beautiful... I'm cant really think of any more to say - they speak for themselves...

Enjoy, and have a magical, mystical week...

*K*

All images from Peters website. 

Illustration... {Book Worm}

I thought this post from etsy's blog, was fascinating.  The job of an illustrator must be a tough one. They must take the vision of the author, the sales focus of the publisher and the meaning of the book and create something that is both eye catching, and representative of the above parties. 

Coralie Bickford Smith

I have a list of favorite authors but would be hard pressed to create a list of illustrators.  Its a shame because the cover is the first thing you think of when someone mentions a book you've read.  I would even go as far to say that if I don't know the author I will choose books based on the cover illustration and the title first, and the blurb second.  The blurb is the defining factor in the choice but I wouldn't even pick up a book if the cover doesn't look to be 'my taste'.  It got me thinking of the under appreciated role of illustrators.  And in my  research I discovered that Quentin Blake (the one illustrator I can name, due to his quintessential partnership with Roald Dahl) is working to change all this with the founding of the House of Illustration in the UK.

Roberto De Vicq de Cumptich

So today in celebration of that we pay homage to the book illustrator!!
Have an Illustrous week!!!

David Drummond

 
Please let me know if you think of any more talented illustrators (especially those from the Southern Hemisphere) you think I should check out! Thanks

Images 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6,

These blog's:  'The Book Cover Archive' & 'Book Covers Anonymous', are both about fabulous cover illustrations if you fancy seeing more!

Eating Air {book worm}

I've just finished Eating Air by Pauline Melville

It is a beautiful book. The story follows the a small group who shared an apartment in the 70's. There were the revolutionaries fighting to over throw capitalism, and the dancer, Ella and her husband, the untamable wanderer Donny, who lived above them. Thirty years on the narrator unveils the fortunes and tragedies their dreams, beliefs and actions have brought about... But its not the story as such that resonates when the book is finished - its the poetically breathtaking descriptions that pull the story out of the confines of revolution, reaction, and terrorism (with it's lust and greed and hope and ideology), and into the realm of beauty and magic that can be found in the mundane, the sublime and the tragic moments of humanity.

Read it. Quite simply it is a beautiful book.