Monday 5 March 2012

Random notes on a Monday

I should be reviewing any of the books I've read this year so far and loved, or writing pithy comments about writing, or about my new sidebar for chocolate quotes.  I'm in a blue funk today, so here are some fun and random things from the internet that I found. 

Via The New Yorker, here is a link to some fabulous minimalist fairy tale covers.

Again via The New Yorker, here is a link to the collection of letters between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, online.  A word of warning, these are the scanned copies of the actual letters they wrote, and Robert's handwriting is not easy to read (though some might say his easier than mine to read!)

The Hobbit! news:  Here is a link to a post about The Hobbit film currently in production, with links to Peter Jackson's Facebook production blog.  I'm sure I'm the last person on the planet to know about this, but just in case I'm not, I've linked you to both.  I'll be following the production page!  I am just about to start crossing off the days until The Hobbit is released.  I do believe that I will be going on the opening day (because I can't wait any longer!) and will be bringing my daughter with me.  It's a bit more kid friendly than the long Lord of the Rings, which she has seen most of through the past few years.

Karen Davis at Moonlight and Hares has some wonderful new art up on her blog.  Sometimes there are no words, only images will do, and her art is whimsical and magical. I love all the hares she draws, too. I really like these pendants, above, from her blog. Her etsy shop is filled with wonderful artwork. Just looking at it makes me feel better.  And that is the wonder and power of art, isn't it?

I am bit late on linking this, but over at Katharine Langrish's blog Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, she had a recent post on Briar Rose, which is one of my favourite fairy tales.  Some of the different illustrations are beautiful. 

And in case you haven't seen this wonderful link yet, here, via Sam at The Book Chase, is his post on Saturday which has the marvellous, magical, beautiful recent Academy Award winning short film, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore on it.  See if you don't have tears in your eyes at the end.  It's a perfect film to show what we see when we see books.

10 comments:

chrisa511 said...

Sorry you're feeling blue Susan :( Sometimes we just need to round up some smile worthy links to cheer ourselves up though, huh? And these are definitely all smile worthy!! I LOVE those pendants! Her art really is fantastic! Hope you're feeling better soon friend…((((hugs)))))

Debi said...

What a fun, fun, fun round-up of links you put together here. Not to mention lovely! Those minimalist covers are so cool! Oh my, but the last thing I needed was another Etsy shop to drool over. :P

Hope you're feeling in better spirits today, Susan!!!

Kailana said...

Sorry to hear you are having a blue day. I hope the rest of the week is better!

Susan said...

Chris: thank you, your hugs do help! I am feeling better. Best of all is just hearing from my friends :-) like you.

Debi: I am feeling it better spirits, thanks, Debi! And I know the feeling, I drool over so many etsy shops now as it is....lol so many incredible artists out there.

Kailana: thanks! It is getting better! the warm weather the past two days helped so much. I think I am fed up with winter, I want spring here now.

Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness) said...

I looove the minimalist posters, thanks for linking to them!

Susan said...

Kim: You are welcome! they are very interesting, aren't they? Evocative.

Kathleen said...

Those pendants are lovely. You are so right about the power of art to make us feel better. I hope you are feeling less blue by now!

Susan said...

Kathleen: I am! it's that time of year when I wait for winter to end, I've had enough of it! lol the artwork that day did cheer up. Thanks!

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

a sidebar for chocolate quotes!? I'll look forward to reading that (and don't push yourself too much on the to-do-lists; sometimes we all need to take a break!).

Those pendants are lovely - my favorite is the one on the far left - reminds me of a Dutch design, with only the blue and white.

Susan said...

Dawn: thank you! I love the chocolate quotes. they cheer me up! I didn't think of Dutch art, though, that's an interesting way to see it. I love the stars and the trees and the hare. The pendants are simple and fun and orginal, I find.