"Grimm" fairy tale

I recently came across an article posted in "The New York Times" featuring Walter Martin & Paloma Munoz. I first saw their work in "Aperature" magazine. Together, this couple creates unusual, three-dimensional worlds encapsulated in snow globes. Often darkly humorous, sometimes outright macabre, a polar combination of charming and ominous, these globes had me hooked. I HAD to have one. Of course, they are not for sale, even withstanding my lack of superfluous income, these little plums were just out of my reach. That is until I did a little online digging and found the tiny people were in fact miniature train figurines, Preiser to be exact, and the globes are sold at a couple online craft stores. My unique twist (for my daughter) is foreboding fairy tales scenes. My first attempt, shown below, the Pied Piper of Hamlin leading the children into the cave. Preiser has almost everything (including *nudists* and you guessed it, pied pipers) I even added a little lame boy trailing behind. I know some might dislike the idea of anything not dripped in icing or sanitized by Disney but I'd like lily to have the same literary backbone as I did. My mother read Grimm's Fairy Tales and The *real* Little Mermaid and didn't permanently scar me in the process. My next idea, Little Red Riding Hood walking through the forest with the wolf trailing behind her.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty!

Well as you can see "The tumtum tree" has gotten a makeover! A *pink* makeover. Perhaps not the last. I designed the logo myself. I hope that's not too obvious. I'm still not 100% pleased with the header. I wanted to expand it across the top completely and it looks like that's going to take another go in Illustrator which takes FOREVER seeing as my computer is over five years old! I'm surprised it works as good as it does. I'm in no position to buy a new one at this point so I guess I'll have
to suck it up and bide my time.

Must reads. Must sees.

At any rate, my post for today isn't about my blog but rather a subject I've been following for about.... two years now. That is Peter Jackson's version of one of my favorite novels "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold. The date had been pushed back to 2007, then 2008 and as you might have guessed now 2009. By the time the movie comes out I will be as clueless as everyone else in the audience because I will have forgotten the ending. But for those of you who have not had the pleasure, I definitely recommend the read. It goes by so fast! The plot (A young girl who was brutally raped and murdered, watches the effects of her death on her family from Heaven, as her parents drift apart, her father becomes obsessed with vengeance and her sister grows into the woman she would never be) may sound a bit macabre but intriguing none-the-less. I'm also very interested in how Peter Jackson will cinematize this novel. An actress from my current favorite movie "Atonement" will be playing the lead- Suzie. Thank god Hollywood did not break down and default Dakota Fanning in this role as I feared they might. I really liked Saorise Ronan's performance in Atonement and think she would make a *perfect* Suzie.


Another one of my favorite novels "The Time Travelers Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger is coming out soon on the big screen this year! If "The Lovely Bones" just isn't "your thing," The Time Travelers Wife could be.
In other words, do you love "The Notebook"?
Okay, then you'll love "The Time Travelers Wife."
It's a romantic novel about a Chicago librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel, and the complications it creates for his marriage.
The film is directed by Robert Schwentke of Flightplan (blah) and will star Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana (double blah) who I think is totally wrong for the part! The Henry character needs to be someone with the ability to convey panic, desperation not "bana"usic perfunctoriness (look that one up Webster!). My choice would have been, James McAvoy. If you have seen "The Last King of Scotland" you know what I mean. Despite those facts, I am still uber-excited about seeing this movie! But I'd definitely recommend reading this novel before seeing the movie. It's rather lengthy but after such a detailed account of Henry and Claire's history the ending was that much more heart-breaking, enough so to make me weep. I kid you not.

"Pop" art for Pop-Ups

For 3 years now, I've been a David A. Carter fan. Why 3 years? You put two and two together. He's the author of three *very* cool pop-up books that are unlike any pop-up books I've ever seen. They are like individual works of art only they're purchasable at any generic bookstore. It's "Pop" art. Get the double entendre? Well, if not, take a look below and see for yourself:
My first introduction to his work was with the book: "One Red Dot." Since then he's created "600 Black Spots" and "Blue 2." I purchased these in "new" condition for half of their purchase price on Amazon. However, if you're the type of parent who lets their child run amok with their baby books (not a bad thing) this may have to take a backseat for a year or two. I had to be very careful with my daughter when reading this book. Like any one-year-old her first instinct was to grab then ensuingly tear off the colorful fluttering paper. But I did manage to keep the book "relatively" unscathed and usable for Molly.

He's written a couple more "traditional" pop up books about bugs but these were the ones that hooked me. Oh and one more thing, the bottom left picture makes a great sawing noise when the blades scrape against the paper as you open the page. Clever.

It's a date!

For the middle of March, the weather was pretty decent during our playdate to the Wildwood Lake and Sanctuary. The kids had fun with all the hands-on exhibits (especially the underground tunnel, of course). My personal favorite was the bird watching room although I think most of the kids (under 5) had a hard time using those binoculars. Lily had a good time and surprisingly walked without any complaint! But I couldn't speak for Molly as she slept through the whole experience. I would recommend returning in the spring when the wildlife is in full bloom but for a winter day it was a good walk! Sorry for the quality of the photos. I forgot my olympus and had to resign myself to using the camera phone:(

I have a dream........house.

I've always loathed the majority of new developments in Pennsylvania. To me, they look like glorified modular homes with their beige vinyl siding, pre-fab windows and cookie cutter plans. My wish is to have some developer come along and do for Pennsylvania what Ross Chapin Architects is doing in Washington (state). Communities with smaller, finely crafted homes with the character of the 20s but all the modern amenities of the 21st century (ie second bathrooms). This is my new dream home courtesy of Ross Chapin Architects. Picture this in front of a black bottom pool, with limestone edges and creeping fauna. It's called Dine's Point House and *surprisingly* it's a one-level and I *still* love it.

A soft loved one for your soft loved one

I'm going to finish the Martha Stewart handmade dolls I started in December. As things tend to go, I finished about half of them then ran out of momentum (ie lily's dollhouse consumed me). But it's time to start the ball rolling again. I finished the remaining heads but when I went to the MS site to print the bodies I discovered that the page no longer exists. So I posted the instructions and pattern from an old magazine in my basement for anyone who wanted to learn how to make them. Just click on the photo for the full-sized image and print. Do not blow the pattern to 238% as it says. (my finished ones are below)















My three-year-old won't let the long-blonde haired doll out of her sight. She takes her to restaurants, bed, car rides, etc....which gives me a special joy when seeing her bonding with it. My eight-month-old prefers the blond-curly haired doll but more for chewing than hugging. I would definitely recommend trying to make one for your little loved one.

Every fairy princess needs her wand

I know that it's four months away but the party planner in me just can't wait. I've been mulling over birthday party ideas for Lily's fourth birthday. I had thought of a fantasy teaparty theme in which I could buy plastic cowboy hats and water pistols for the boys and make simple tutus and ribbon wands for the girls. I found a great etsy shop that sells the wands but I think I'm going to attempt to make them myself depending on the cost. I looked *everywhere* including dance shops but no one locally sells ribbon wands. Am I wrong, but I remember these being fairly popular as a child? Maybe they were more of an 80s thing? Here are the wands sold at the etsy shop: The Ribbon Wands Shop
























Ooo so smackridge (my made-up adjective for "eye candy"). I will post my own version later today.......

Okay here it is. My version of the etsy wands. Pretty close?

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Another new playdate location!

For all my local readers, the Whitaker Center's Harsco Science Center just opened their newest attraction the "Kids Place". It touts many features including a crawling-climbing space for toddlers, adjoining aquarium, multi-level waterworks with dams, spouts and water jets (oooo I'm a bit skeptical). There are other exhibits as described in this paragraph I pulled from the web:



"Preschool visitors will be challenged to use their construction skills in the renovation of a child-sized three story home that resembles one of Harrisburg’s fine historic buildings. Young minds will be encouraged to imagine stories with their favorite characters on Storybook Stage, a theater that includes lighting effects, costumes and changing scenery. Finally, KidsPlace would not be complete without an ambulance to handle health emergencies as well as a Midtown Market with bins and shelving to hold a bounty of farm produce."

Also next month, the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet will perform "Cinderella" at the Sunoco Performance Theater next to the Whitaker Center, April 26th and 27th. Since my daughter has started ballet classes I thought this might be a great time to take her to a performance like this. Could possibly turn into a huge overestimation on my part but *I think* (perhaps naively) that I'm willing to take that risk.