{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on November 04, 2010 in Art Seiden, children's books, vintage books, vintage illustrations, vintage inspiration | No Comments

Sayer and I just finished up story time and he chose all of my Art Seiden books to read today. He really is fond of them so I thought it would be a good time to share my little vintage collection with you. I’ve been collecting anything with Art Seiden illustrations for a while now and my favorites are from the ’60’s Romper Room – Wonder Book – series. Sayer loves the train books in particular. But here is a tiny peek into each one…

The Romper Room Safety Book – Story by Nancy Claster- Pictures by Art Seiden- Wonder Books 1965

Puppies, pictures by Art Seiden 1980

Golden Clock Book by Ben Ross Berenberg – pictures by Art Seiden 1970

The Little Engine That Laughed by Alf Evers – Illustrated by Art Seiden 1950

The Train to Timbuctoo by Margret Wise Brown – pictures by Art Seiden- Little Golden Book 1951

The Romper Room Do Dee Book of Manners by Nancy Claster – pictures by Art Seiden – Wonder Books 1977

Yep, we read them all today. This Manners book is really funny- it cracks Sayer up too. There is even a “mother check off chart” to see if your child is a “Do Bee”. I won’t tell you the results of our check list. But I will tell you that Sayer likes the “Don’t Bee” boy’s outfit better, hmmm. I will bring these out again to share more another time. This is just a taste. I really enjoy looking at how Art Seiden’s illustrations have evolved over the years, along with how much they have influenced current illustrators today. Hope you liked our Art Seiden story time…

{Good Read} The Snowy Day…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on October 07, 2010 in children's books, illustration, Uncategorized, vintage inspiration | No Comments

When I found out about the event today called, Read for the Record, I definitely wanted to participate with Sayer. The organization hopes to set a new world record for the greatest number of people reading the same book on the same day. The Snowy Day is their choice and it’s one of my all time favorite books. I still have my copy that was given to me in 1976. My hope was for us to go to our local Children’s Museum for one of their 2 readings today. However, Sayer has a bit of a cold & we decided to stay at home, close to the tissue box. We thought we would hold our own reading and wondered if you would like to read along.

This book had such a big impact on me artistically. I remember vividly, being really smitten by the illustrations and becoming quite interested in collage after seeing them. I can also remember trying to copy some of them in grade school. My favorite image as a child, was the bathtub. I loved the the shape, the tiled floor, the bubbles, and the colors. If you click on to this Read for the Record link, you can also watch a reading of the story. Thanks for reading with us. I hope you enjoyed this book!

{Good Read} The Snowy Day…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on October 07, 2010 in children's books, illustration, Uncategorized, vintage inspiration | 9 Comments

When I found out about the event today called, Read for the Record, I definitely wanted to participate with Sayer. The organization hopes to set a new world record for the greatest number of people reading the same book on the same day. The Snowy Day is their choice and it’s one of my all time favorite books. I still have my copy that was given to me in 1976. My hope was for us to go to our local Children’s Museum for one of their 2 readings today. However, Sayer has a bit of a cold & we decided to stay at home, close to the tissue box. We thought we would hold our own reading and wondered if you would like to read along.

This book had such a big impact on me artistically. I remember vividly, being really smitten by the illustrations and becoming quite interested in collage after seeing them. I can also remember trying to copy some of them in grade school. My favorite image as a child, was the bathtub. I loved the the shape, the tiled floor, the bubbles, and the colors. If you click on to this Read for the Record link, you can also watch a reading of the story. Thanks for reading with us. I hope you enjoyed this book!

{Good Read} The Snowy Day…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on October 07, 2010 in children's books, illustration, vintage inspiration | No Comments

When I found out about the event today called, Read for the Record, I definitely wanted to participate with Sayer. The organization hopes to set a new world record for the greatest number of people reading the same book on the same day. The Snowy Day is their choice and it’s one of my all time favorite books. I still have my copy that was given to me in 1976. My hope was for us to go to our local Children’s Museum for one of their 2 readings today. However, Sayer has a bit of a cold & we decided to stay at home, close to the tissue box. We thought we would hold our own reading and wondered if you would like to read along.

This book had such a big impact on me artistically. I remember vividly, being really smitten by the illustrations and becoming quite interested in collage after seeing them. I can also remember trying to copy some of them in grade school. My favorite image as a child, was the bathtub. I loved the the shape, the tiled floor, the bubbles, and the colors. If you click on to this Read for the Record link, you can also watch a reading of the story. Thanks for reading with us. I hope you enjoyed this book!

{Good Read} Being loved…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on September 15, 2010 in books, children's books, good read, plush | 14 Comments

If someone were to ask what children’s book influenced me the most, “The Velveteen Rabbit”, would have to be in the top 3. It’s a book that I think about almost daily in the studio. The idea of “nursery magic” and what makes a toy “real” occupies my mind when I am making things for klt:works. One of my biggest joys is to know that a child has made one of my creations “real”.

From the Velveteen Rabbit:

“Real isn’t how you are made” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long time, not just to play with , but REALLY loves you, then you become Real….Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.

Another book that I recently discovered and think about often, is “Dirty WOW WOW and other love stories”. This book tells the stories of 50 transitional love objects. The pictures are great and the stories are really touching. The title page writes, “A tribute to the threadbare companions of childhood”. Here are a few of my favorites.

I tend to like to surround myself with well loved things in the studio. I’m sort of mystified as to what sort of qualities a plush or doll needs to acquire such adoration. I like to think of myself as an elf, making toys or plush for children, pouring in as much magical love dust in as possible. Sayer is my only child study right now, along with remembering what I responded to when I was small. But I watch and take mental notes, hoping that I might get the formula right. Here are some of the well loved, or “real” characters that are in our home right now.

This is my mom’s doll from when she was a little girl. It has a mark of red lipstick on the arm from where my mom pretended to give her a shot when she was playing nurse. This doll has always been in my various studios.

This is my old Snoopy doll that I loved. It is one of the only stuffed animals that I still have. I found it stashed away for my “someday child”. I need to mend the armpit…. before I give it to Sayer.

And here is Murphy. Our friend Pam gave him to us when she found out about my love of ventriloquist dolls. Murphy has been through a lot and is very real. He hangs out on the bench in our hall.

Gunk gunk, which is now Conk, is my favorite of the bunch. This little slug goes everywhere with Sayer. It was the first slug lovey that I ever made and Sayer has had it now since he was 10 months old. Conk has been through about 100 wash cycles and is definitely as real as it gets. Did you have a threadbare companion?

{Good Read} Being loved…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on September 15, 2010 in books, children's books, good read, plush | No Comments

If someone were to ask what children’s book influenced me the most, “The Velveteen Rabbit”, would have to be in the top 3. It’s a book that I think about almost daily in the studio. The idea of “nursery magic” and what makes a toy “real” occupies my mind when I am making things for klt:works. One of my biggest joys is to know that a child has made one of my creations “real”.

From the Velveteen Rabbit:

“Real isn’t how you are made” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long time, not just to play with , but REALLY loves you, then you become Real….Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.

Another book that I recently discovered and think about often, is “Dirty WOW WOW and other love stories”. This book tells the stories of 50 transitional love objects. The pictures are great and the stories are really touching. The title page writes, “A tribute to the threadbare companions of childhood”. Here are a few of my favorites.

I tend to like to surround myself with well loved things in the studio. I’m sort of mystified as to what sort of qualities a plush or doll needs to acquire such adoration. I like to think of myself as an elf, making toys or plush for children, pouring in as much magical love dust in as possible. Sayer is my only child study right now, along with remembering what I responded to when I was small. But I watch and take mental notes, hoping that I might get the formula right. Here are some of the well loved, or “real” characters that are in our home right now.

This is my mom’s doll from when she was a little girl. It has a mark of red lipstick on the arm from where my mom pretended to give her a shot when she was playing nurse. This doll has always been in my various studios.

This is my old Snoopy doll that I loved. It is one of the only stuffed animals that I still have. I found it stashed away for my “someday child”. I need to mend the armpit…. before I give it to Sayer.

And here is Murphy. Our friend Pam gave him to us when she found out about my love of ventriloquist dolls. Murphy has been through a lot and is very real. He hangs out on the bench in our hall.

Gunk gunk, which is now Conk, is my favorite of the bunch. This little slug goes everywhere with Sayer. It was the first slug lovey that I ever made and Sayer has had it now since he was 10 months old. Conk has been through about 100 wash cycles and is definitely as real as it gets. Did you have a threadbare companion?

{Good Read} Being loved…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on September 15, 2010 in books, children's books, good read, plush, Uncategorized | No Comments

If someone were to ask what children’s book influenced me the most, “The Velveteen Rabbit”, would have to be in the top 3. It’s a book that I think about almost daily in the studio. The idea of “nursery magic” and what makes a toy “real” occupies my mind when I am making things for klt:works. One of my biggest joys is to know that a child has made one of my creations “real”.

From the Velveteen Rabbit:

“Real isn’t how you are made” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long time, not just to play with , but REALLY loves you, then you become Real….Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.

Another book that I recently discovered and think about often, is “Dirty WOW WOW and other love stories”. This book tells the stories of 50 transitional love objects. The pictures are great and the stories are really touching. The title page writes, “A tribute to the threadbare companions of childhood”. Here are a few of my favorites.

I tend to like to surround myself with well loved things in the studio. I’m sort of mystified as to what sort of qualities a plush or doll needs to acquire such adoration. I like to think of myself as an elf, making toys or plush for children, pouring in as much magical love dust in as possible. Sayer is my only child study right now, along with remembering what I responded to when I was small. But I watch and take mental notes, hoping that I might get the formula right. Here are some of the well loved, or “real” characters that are in our home right now.

This is my mom’s doll from when she was a little girl. It has a mark of red lipstick on the arm from where my mom pretended to give her a shot when she was playing nurse. This doll has always been in my various studios.

This is my old Snoopy doll that I loved. It is one of the only stuffed animals that I still have. I found it stashed away for my “someday child”. I need to mend the armpit…. before I give it to Sayer.

And here is Murphy. Our friend Pam gave him to us when she found out about my love of ventriloquist dolls. Murphy has been through a lot and is very real. He hangs out on the bench in our hall.

Gunk gunk, which is now Conk, is my favorite of the bunch. This little slug goes everywhere with Sayer. It was the first slug lovey that I ever made and Sayer has had it now since he was 10 months old. Conk has been through about 100 wash cycles and is definitely as real as it gets. Did you have a threadbare companion?

{Good Read} Weird & Wonderful…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on September 09, 2010 in children's books, good read, illustration | 5 Comments

One of my favorite local bookstores (Village Books in Bellingham, WA) sends you a postcard on your birthday that gives you the percentage of how old you are, off of a purchase. I have been getting these in the mail since I was in high school and always save mine for a special or unique book. Of course now my discount is bigger than it used to be – but next year I will reach the limit. Chris and I recently had a “date night” and after dinner out, spent time browsing the shelves of books so that we could use our very old postcards. This is the book I selected, Weird & Wonderful and it is just that…. and more.

I am intrigued by this book to say the least. What really sparked my interest is what is written on the bottom: Discoveries From The Mysterious World of Forgotten Children’s Books. There are so many gorgeous & odd illustrations, these are just a few of my favorites. I highly recommend flipping through this if you are as interested in illustrations and children’s books as I am. It’s published by a small local publisher call Laughing Elephant Press (Green Tiger Press) out of Seattle that publishes some really sweet children’s books. This is a cool find & a good read for sure.

{Good Read} Weird & Wonderful…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on September 09, 2010 in children's books, good read, illustration, Uncategorized | No Comments

One of my favorite local bookstores (Village Books in Bellingham, WA) sends you a postcard on your birthday that gives you the percentage of how old you are, off of a purchase. I have been getting these in the mail since I was in high school and always save mine for a special or unique book. Of course now my discount is bigger than it used to be – but next year I will reach the limit. Chris and I recently had a “date night” and after dinner out, spent time browsing the shelves of books so that we could use our very old postcards. This is the book I selected, Weird & Wonderful and it is just that…. and more.

I am intrigued by this book to say the least. What really sparked my interest is what is written on the bottom: Discoveries From The Mysterious World of Forgotten Children’s Books. There are so many gorgeous & odd illustrations, these are just a few of my favorites. I highly recommend flipping through this if you are as interested in illustrations and children’s books as I am. It’s published by a small local publisher call Laughing Elephant Press (Green Tiger Press) out of Seattle that publishes some really sweet children’s books. This is a cool find & a good read for sure.

{Good Read} Weird & Wonderful…

Posted by kristinloffertheiss on September 09, 2010 in children's books, good read, illustration | No Comments

One of my favorite local bookstores (Village Books in Bellingham, WA) sends you a postcard on your birthday that gives you the percentage of how old you are, off of a purchase. I have been getting these in the mail since I was in high school and always save mine for a special or unique book. Of course now my discount is bigger than it used to be – but next year I will reach the limit. Chris and I recently had a “date night” and after dinner out, spent time browsing the shelves of books so that we could use our very old postcards. This is the book I selected, Weird & Wonderful and it is just that…. and more.

I am intrigued by this book to say the least. What really sparked my interest is what is written on the bottom: Discoveries From The Mysterious World of Forgotten Children’s Books. There are so many gorgeous & odd illustrations, these are just a few of my favorites. I highly recommend flipping through this if you are as interested in illustrations and children’s books as I am. It’s published by a small local publisher call Laughing Elephant Press (Green Tiger Press) out of Seattle that publishes some really sweet children’s books. This is a cool find & a good read for sure.

{Vintage Inspiration} Art Seiden…

{Good Read} The Snowy Day…

{Good Read} The Snowy Day…

{Good Read} The Snowy Day…

{Good Read} Being loved…

{Good Read} Being loved…

{Good Read} Being loved…

{Good Read} Weird & Wonderful…

{Good Read} Weird & Wonderful…

{Good Read} Weird & Wonderful…

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