How Many Days in February?

Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November.

February has twenty-eight alone,

All the rest have thirty-one.

Except in Leap Year,

That's the time, when February's days are twenty-nine.

Tomorrow is March 1st.

Illustrated Quote from Winnie the Pooh

A family photo album including a picture of Pooh author AA Milne's son Christopher Robin when he was 6 years old fetched £3,500 at auction in 2004.

“If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart -- I'll always be with you.” Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

Poster available here.

God Bless Us Every One

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, 1843. Illustration by Jessie Wilcox Smith. I made this illustrated quote last year and I still love it.

I have already set my DVR to record BBC America's Christmas Special Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol I'm a big fan of time travel and Dr. Who The Doctor. I know this broadcast on Christmas Night 12/25 at 9pm will be wonderful. "Time Can Be Rewritten, People Can't." You can watch a trailer if you click on the link.



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Warming The Boots

Delightful storybook illustration by ©Kestutis Kasparavicius



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Animals Organizing A Small Space

When you are living in small underground quarters, it helps to have high ceilings. I could look at the charming illustrations in this book all day long. Since childhood, I've always imagined animals living like this.

Brambly Hedge: The Secret Staircase by Jill Barklem

image via flickr

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Antique Caldecott Picture Book For Your Reading Pleasure

AN ELEGY ON THE GLORY OF HER SEX MRS. MARY BLAIZE by Oliver Goldsmith -- Illustrated by Randolph Caldecott This is one of the more difficult to find of Caldecott’s Shilling Picture Books Published in London & New York by Frederick Warne & Co Ltd. Color and black and white plates Printed in color by Edmund Evans Ltd, London. 1885 First Edition.

Vintage Mother Goose Alphabet To Cut and Paste

Isn't this vintage Mother Goose alphabet wonderful? It's from the early 20th century and I know you'll have fun with it. Click to enlarge the image.

Cut and paste with your scissors or your photo editing software. This would be good for creating an advent calendar for the upcoming Christmas season too. I'm sure you will think of many other handcrafted items to make using it. I scanned this pictorial alphabet from one of my antiquarian books on Historic Alphabets and Initials. Other alphabets available here.



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Wonderful Bookplate for Children

"Infinite Riches in a Little Room"

What a wonderful bookplate; I love images of children reading books. I wonder where The Children's Book Shop and Library is or was located?



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Winnie-the Pooh Stamps | Royal Mail

Have you ever seen more delightful stamps? The Royal Mail has really outdone itself this time. I love, love, love these! They will surely be best sellers bringing joy to all recipients of snail mail posted with A. A. Milne characters from Pooh Corner. via

It is supposed to rain most of today and I plan to get my closet ready for winter. Somebody's got to do it. See you later.

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Happy Birthday Beatrix Potter

She did love her rabbits, didn't she. Today marks 142 years since her birth. Beatrix Potter was born July 28, 1866 and died December 22, 1943 but her books will live on forever. Enlarge the photo and you'll see that she's wearing a Sherlock Holmes Deerstalker cap. Elementary my dear Watson. image

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Tasha Tudor Estate | Family Feud Still In The Courts

Battling heirs of author/artist Tasha Tudor back in court: "BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) - A family feud over the $2 million estate of famed children's book author Tasha Tudor raged on Friday, with a Probate Court judge warning that barring settlement, the only eventual winners may be the lawyers involved." Such a shame. Read my original post about the Tudor Family Feud.

The first photo is a scan of my very own copy of The Secret Garden illustrated by Tasha Tudor with the original dust jacket.

I love this charming image of hers called Cat in the Mixing Bowl.




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Interior Design in Children's Illustrations

Baby Eats At The Table

I picked up a great little book with wonderful illustrations at a garage sale this morning. I'm always impressed to see the great care that goes into getting the design of the room into children's illustrations. Reproduced from Le Journal de Bébé first published in Paris in 1914. Don't you love the wallpaper, chandelier shade, potted plants, and table cloth? Simply a wonderful composition I think. Great dining room too.




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The Real Fantastic Mr. Fox

Have you seen the movie Fantastic Mr. Fox? It's a wonderful animated film based on the book by Ronald Dahl. He called the story a fantasy adventure for children but it's certainly one adults can enjoy as well. I watched the DVD recently and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation. George Clooney plays Mr. Fox and Meryl Streep provides the voice for Mrs. Fox.

Fantastic Mr. Fox on DVD




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That's Some Pig

While we're on the subject of pigs... here is someone's beloved pet. He's looking at a spider and thinking, "Charlotte, is that you?"

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White




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Winding The Yarn With A Helper

I love the antiques in all of Jessie Wilcox Smith's illustrations. These two young girls sitting on early ladderback chairs are concentrating with all their might because when your hands are small tasks like this are very hard. I hope you can find a willing friend to help you with your work today. This is another wonderful illustration that is new to me. How do you wind your yarn?




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Young Designer In Training

Isn't this how all fashion designers got started? I learned to sew by making doll clothes by hand before my mother would let me use the sewing machine. I adore this image by Arthur Rackham, don't you? It's chilly this morning and it rained all night, a perfect day to sit on the sofa and look at pretty pictures in books. Agreed? Happy Friday, Rosemary.




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