Reading and watching: Marcel the Shell!

Marcel Shell with Shoes on is a charming & oddball video that first came out last year (see the first one here). I was so excited to hear that a second video has been released.  Did you know there is also a book of Marcel? I came across it in the shelves at work the other day and immediatly raced around to try to find a co-worker to share the wonderful event that was a surprise Marcel discovery. Sadly, no one else knew about the video and looked mystified at 1). my increasingly higher pitch and 2). my general excitment. The illustrations are paintings and I love how the font seems to perfectly capture Marcel’s voice.

So check out the new Marcel video and then go find the book!

Beach Week: Bruce Mozert Mermaids

Ah yes, summer.  Swimming, and cheerful lawn-care with a smile.

I have written about the underwater mermaids before, as a fun collection of photos I found in an antique store (the post is here, and the Flickr set here). I have been trying to find out if they were part of a larger collection and wow, are they ever!  You can see a good gallery at the Smithsonian Magazine.  The photographer is Bruce Mozert, who was also an underwater cinematographer:

Image Credit: Bruce Mozert, photographer. Found here.

Adventure itinerary

School – check. Giant spring supah-clean – check (Although some starlings have decided that our house is now so great that they would like to live in our  air-exchanger…).  I think I’m actually caught up. So, this weekend I plan on only having adventures!

There’s a lot going on! Mary and Max is playing in the theater,  it’s Record Store Day, then  PechaKucha: Inspire Japan, plus garage sales, the farmer’s market, sewing, brunch, etc.

I hope you have lots of adventures this weekend too!

Image via Wunderkammer

How to plan the “perfect” dinner party

 

“Then we can do what the French do the minute they land in the United States – ask for a dry Martini.”

 

This hilarious record also appeared under my tree this year.  The voices have such a vintage quality to them, both in the slightly crackly recording, and the  personality of the “hosts”.  It appears to follow the Julia Child trend of adapting French recipes for the American cook. Later this year, I plan to test out the menu with a dinner party of my own! I must admit, I am a little skeptical – with the menu and the husband-knows-all attitude presented in the recording. I will report back with the results.

Vintage Library Reader

 

Santa left this “Dick and Jane” type reader under my tree this year. It covers different kinds of libraries, including a bookmobile! I didn’t realize they were in existence in the fifties. I also love the picture of the kids combing through the card-catalogue. I’m so glad we don’t use them anymore! I would love one for the house though.

The ornament tree

 

Seen in my neighbourhood.

The littlest tree

There is an annual real/fake tree debate in our house, which is why we have yet to buy  a full-size tree of either kind. We always end up travelling, so this little guy works for now.  Although, I forget the dimensions over the course of the year and am always shocked when we put it up. I end up looking for the non-existent piece I’m sure we are missing. I love coming home and seeing the top of the tree just peeking out the window, like some kind of puppy eagerly awaiting our return.

Historical Circus Costumes

My mom can be a fantastic gift-giver. It’s the scarf or bag I got from her that I always get compliments on, or the treasures around the house, or the books in the shelves. One such gift was an antique book (It’s from 1890!) about circus and theatre life. You can see it through Google Books here. Although, the pages are not yellow, and the digital copy does not have that old-book smell.  The illustrations in the book are amazing! I made a new costume recently, and this is where I went for inspiration.  A lot of corsets and various types of underwear-as-outerwear.  I think a pair of ribbon-trimmed bloomers will be next on my list of sewing projects.

This made my heart so happy

Judging by the numbers on Youtube I am late to the party on this one, but it was a lovely surprise.

You can find him on flickr.

Wishful occupation for the day: Mermaid

There has been a week-long heat wave happening around here. I understand that 95 F heat is not such a big deal to some areas, but the problem is that we are not set up for this – air-conditioners are pretty rare in these parts. The coolest part of the house gets down to about 86 degrees overnight. I would love to be one of these ladies for the day – any day really. Doesn’t it look refreshing?

The park has sadly been cheesed-up Maxim style, but it looks like it was kitschy fabulous in the fifties.