The Tall Book of Make-believe...

The pictures are by Garth Williams...so magical... so inspiring...!

Are you familiar with this amazing book? You can find it now and again online for rather large sums of money, I'm afraid!

I try to keep an eye out at garage sales...because you never know! My neighbor found one for 30cents and THAT was a bit of magic right there!

Our copy comes from our great Aunt Mar, (who owns a used bookstore by the way!) who searched and searched to get the one you see here for my husband (so she wouldn't have to give up her copy when we had kids!) Because, you see, you really can't have kids and not have this book...so, phew! We really do love our little Tall book, (though it looks it a bit)...but it is magical, magical...

So magical, in fact, that I thought to share it with you...(though my husband thought it better to hoard the magic) ...but I am a firm believer that magic shared, is magic grown! So here is some *magic* for you and yours!

see the little elves flying on the falling leaves?!

...love this page!

<-my absolute most favorite page!

May your New Year be filled to the brim with *magic*!

Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

whhooo boy, I am tired...Christmas is over! We made Christmas Magic for all of the 4 little Sousanises and I am beat.

But now, there's a giant mess everywhere...where to put everything?!!!
Must. Clean. Up. the. House! (but I am in such a making-mood!)
No. No making! Only Cleaning! Tidying! Straightening!

Okay okay okay, but first I gotta show you something silly I've been working on...
It's a quiet restaurant toy-in-a-box! I am still haunted by the whole amazing Muji Circus -in-a-box thing, and it occurred to me that I could re-create the ol' Shadowbox(!) Caffe as a shadow box cafe! Ha!!!
So here's what I've got so far...

See? It's a little restaurant to bring to a restaurant in hopes of keeping my litle ones occupied...

Think it'll work? I'm goning to try it out tomorrow... and I'll let you know.

the Sound and the Fury...

So I was all excited to read A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote aloud to the kids...every review on Amazon.com was all like; "our FAVorite Christmas story EVER!" etc etc..."we know it's Christmas-time when Mom gets this book out and we LOVE this story and we have the best Mom EVER and we are a happier family than you, but you can be like us if only you get this book..." etc etc.

So I got the book. Actually, I didn't get this version (isn't that a lovely illustration by Beth Peck?!) , instead I got "The Complete Stories of Truman Capote" because, you know, it costs the same for the complete works, as it does for 1 tiny little short story...5 pages in my version...

(had I seen the above cover at the time, I would have bought it. Tiny little short and expensive as it is, it's illustrated!) (duh)

And then I read the story. Aloud. To the kids. And my husband. The kids kept wanting to see the pictures, but, there are none, (dumb Mom) save for the one photo of the iconoclastic (I'm trying to be kind here) author on the cover, wearing...um, an outfit unique to the 70's in blue and orange...

And the story is, well, dreadful. I mean it is full of dread. They (the two pictured above) go to buy whiskey for the fruitcakes from a run-down speakeasy known for having had murders there(!) Actual MURDERS. They are afraid, naturally. They are going to pay with hard earned money from killing flies, that past summer. One penny for every 10 they killed. An image of jars filled with crunchy dea... O.K, enough. YOU aren't getting much of a Christmas feel here either, are you?

They do make fruicakes, lots of them...(like 35 or something). They do make Christmas ornaments, and the idea of having to save your gum wrapper to have a bit of foil, is definitely something I'd like my kids to contemplate, but not worry about.

Oh, and did I mention the boy has been abandoned by his parents? ("Mama? Where are his Mommy and Daddy" "Shhhh, just listen to the story, maybe they're coming back...")

Nope. He goes on to military school and that's that.

Anyhow, I liked it well enough, it really is well written and poetic, but a taaaaad on the dark side. (Did I mention their beloved dog gets kicked to death by a farm animal?)

And are we a 'happier, more full-of-the-true-spirit-of-Christmas family' for having read this story?

Well, no.

My husband says we should read them "The Sound and the Fury" next.

Christmas from Ikea and other blogging madness

So, have you ever seen something on someone's blog and gone completely bonkers out-of-your-mind sleepless with desire for the something they have got and you have not?

Non? oui?

(treefall, you are wicked good at this, this -showing-me-stuff-I-now-want-want-want! you-know you are!http://treefalldesign.typepad.com/tree_fall/) (must get that cut-n-make advent calender!!!)(and I do so appreciate all your help tracking down the origins of your personal possessions)(perhaps it is a clue to where I should be living, not in Michigan, no, but in England! Say, smack-dab in her house! ) ;)

Anyhow, I am delighted to say that today, after about a year of fruitless searching and occaisonal (lost) bidding wars on eBay, I was able to FINALLY ACQUIRE the Ikea Ekorre Toddle Wagon that someone (sooooo long ago now that I can't even find it in my computer's history) someone blogged about (...if you recognize the above artist's matryoshka pillow dolls, please tell me who, and I will properly atribute the photo) (Edit: turns out it's from here, but of course!) ...anyhow, Isn't it cute?!

But now,

You too can get it at Ikea here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40060836

I think they just re-stocked them for Christmas

but they won't ship it to you!

Bwwahh ha ha!

Nope, you'll have to make the trek yourself, or hope it's on eBay... sorry! You can't have mine!

Christmas is NOT comin' from Muji, kids

MUST. GET. THIS. FOR. MY. KIDS. FOR. CHRISTMAS. Damn the expense. Import it from England? Japan? Sure, no problem.


I know I know, coveting is bad bad bad. A sin even, right? Oh, but I do so covet this Circus in a Box from Muji! I want it soooooo bad!

BUT it's not available anymore! At least, I don't think so after calling London, and New York, and visiting and re-visiting the Japanese website! Waaaaaaahhhh!



This is one BIG reason reading blogs can be dangerous! You discover things you must have, at any expense!

So I blame YOU, pandorapocket.typepad.com! I blame you for temptation and the neglect of the children whose mother spent hours searching the web in vain for this most awesome thingy!

Want to see another pic? There you go. You want it too, don't you. No? It costs under $20! Can you imagine such cool retro-awesomeness gracing your shelf? For $20?!!! (okay, plus, like a billion for shipping, whatever!)

It folds up!!! In a box! See?! How cool would it be to bring this along in the kids' diaper bag so they are (all)quiet and good during dinner at a restaurant!?!

Oh, I want one soooooo much it pains me. http://www.independent.co.uk/galleries/christmas-gift-guide/christmas-gifts-for-everyone-1039573.html?action=Popup&ino=61 LIARS! It's Unavailable!!!(I think I have lost my mind!)

Or, is it the fault of Animal Aid's Animal Alerts, asking people to complain about the inhumane treatment of wooden circus animals kept in pretty painted folding boxes?! (!)(oh come on!)http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/f/ACTIVE/actionalert//1/

Ok, so I must resign myself to living without this. Or...now I must make one! How hard can it be?!

hahahahahah I'm serious. Just you wait world! (but don't hold your breath or anything!)