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This Sydney Life

Tag Archives: Literature

Penguin Threads – Clever Design

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by Joanna in Design

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Arts, Book design, Books, Classics, Cover art, Covers, Embroidery, Jillian Tamaki, Literature, Paul Buckley, Penguin Threads, Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads Secret Garden Book Jacket Designed by Jillian Tamaki

Penguin Threads Secret Garden Book Jacket Designed by Jillian Tamaki

Penguin Threads Secret Garden Book Front Designed by Jillian Tamaki

Penguin Threads Secret Garden Book Front Designed by Jillian Tamaki
(Images from here)

Commissioned by award-winning Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley, the Penguin Threads series debuted with cover art by the supremely talented Jillian Tamaki. I was blown away by her exquisitely embroidered classics book-covers and particularly love her Secret Garden cover.

Penguin Threads Black Beauty Book Jacket Designed by Jillian Tamaki

Penguin Threads Black Beauty Book Jacket Designed by Jillian Tamaki

Penguin Threads Emma Book Jacket Designed by Jillian Tamaki

Penguin Threads Emma Book Jacket Designed by Jillian Tamaki
(Images from here)

The series now continues with cover art by Rachell Sumpter – beautiful gift-worthy classics. The covers are sketched out in a traditional illustrative manner and then hand-stitched using a needle and thread. The final covers are sculpt embossed for a tactile, textured and beautiful book design. See what you think…

Penguin Threads The Wind in The Willows Book Jacket Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wind in The Willows Book Jacket Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wind in The Willows Book Cover Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wind in The Willows Book Cover Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wizard of Oz Book Jacket Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wizard of Oz Book Jacket Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wizard of Oz Book Cover Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads The Wizard of Oz Book Cover Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads Little Women Book Jacket Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads Little Women Book Jacket Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads Little Women Book Cover Designed by Rachell Sumpter

Penguin Threads Little Women Book Cover Designed by Rachell Sumpter
(Images from here)

If you’d like to learn more about the Penguin Threads or the Penguin Classics range, you can check out the website here.

Hope & Wendy Cope

09 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by Joanna in Random Stuff

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

2 black, Art, Banksy, Blog Relay, Contemporary Poetry, England, English poetry, Hope, Hope 2012 Blog Relay, Humour, Literature, Poetry, Wendy Cope

Banksy's 'There's Always Hope'

Banksy’s ‘There’s Always Hope’
(Image from here)

One of my favourite blogging buddies, Shira over at In Pursuit of More has tagged me as part of a blog relay about hope. I’m not sure I’m convinced about blog relays BUT because it’s the lovely Shira tagging me, I am giving you a perspective on hope. Hope you enjoy!

On the other hand, perhaps it is serendipity? I’ve been looking for an opportune moment to share my favouritist poet of all time here on TSL, and I reckon I have just been given a wee nudge.

Please let me introduce you to the wonderfully funny, irreverent and clever Wendy Cope. Born in England, where she still resides, Wendy Cope is an award-winning contemporary English poet.

To date, I have two of her anthologies – ‘Serious Concerns’ and ‘Making Cocoa for Kinglsey Amis’ (available from Amazon). They are both wonderful – although I think I favour the former. Just.

And, as a taster, I give you ‘My Funeral’ by Wendy Cope (previously published in The Spectator).

Wendy – if you happen to read this post – I do hope you’ll forgive my flagrant breach of copyright. I love your work!

I hope I can trust you, friends, not to use our relationship

As an excuse for an unsolicited ego-trip.

I have seen enough of them at funerals and they make me cross.

At this one, though deceased, I aim to be the boss.

If you are asked to talk about me for five minutes, please do not go on for eight

There is a strict timetable at the crematorium and nobody wants to be late

If invited to read a poem, just read the bloody poem. If requested

To sing a song, just sing it, as suggested,

And don’t say anything. Though I will not be there,

Glancing pointedly at my watch and fixing the speaker with a malevolent stare,

Remember that this was how I always reacted

When I felt that anybody’s speech, sermon or poetry reading was becoming too protracted.

Yes, I was intolerant, and not always polite

And if there aren’t many people at my funeral, it will serve me right.

Go and check out Wendy Cope’s work. Please. Even if you are not a lover of poetry yet, it is my hope that Wendy can convert you (as she did me).
Now, I’m handing the baton to these bloggers in the Hope 2012 Blog Relay:
Sparks from Everyday Sparks
BCD from Bird Cage Design
The ever enigmatic WhatIMeant2Say
B from Barbaraelka

Blog Stalking Letters of Note

30 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by Joanna in Culture

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Advice, Blog, Blogging, Correspondence, culture, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Letters of Note, Literature, Scottie, Snail mail

Letters Of Note Blog Banner

Letters Of Note Blog Banner
(Image from Letters of Note)

IMMHO, (In my most humble opinion) if you only ever read one blog, Letters of Note is the blog you should choose to read. A big claim, I know. I stand by it, despite the fact that I have some fabulous blog buddies here in the Blogosphere whom I risk offending by making such a bold statement.

What is it about, you may ask? Letters of Note is a blog-based archive of fascinating correspondence, complete with scans and transcripts of the original missives. And, it is fascinating. Truly. It’s also variously enlightening, funny, clever, educational, thought-provoking – and, so much more.

Let me give you an example from Wednesday, 21 March:

F.Scott Fitzgerald from Letters of Note

F. Scott Fitzgerald with his daughter, “Scottie” and wife, Zelda
(image sourced from Letters of Note)

On August 8th of 1933, author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the following letter of advice to his 11-year-old daughter, “Scottie,” who was away at camp.

(Source: F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters ; Image: Fitzgerald with both his daughter, “Scottie,” and wife, Zelda, via.)

La Paix, Rodgers’ Forge
Towson, Maryland

August 8, 1933

Dear Pie:

I feel very strongly about you doing duty. Would you give me a little more documentation about your reading in French? I am glad you are happy — but I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on the stage or the screen or the printed pages, they never really happen to you in life.

All I believe in in life is the rewards for virtue (according to your talents) and the punishments for not fulfilling your duties, which are doubly costly. If there is such a volume in the camp library, will you ask Mrs. Tyson to let you look up a sonnet of Shakespeare’s in which the line occurs “Lillies that fester smell far worse than weeds.”

Have had no thoughts today, life seems composed of getting up a Saturday Evening Post story. I think of you, and always pleasantly; but if you call me “Pappy” again I am going to take the White Cat out and beat his bottom hard, six times for every time you are impertinent. Do you react to that?

I will arrange the camp bill.

Halfwit, I will conclude.

Things to worry about:

Worry about courage
Worry about Cleanliness
Worry about efficiency
Worry about horsemanship
Worry about. . .

Things not to worry about:

Don’t worry about popular opinion
Don’t worry about dolls
Don’t worry about the past
Don’t worry about the future
Don’t worry about growing up
Don’t worry about anybody getting ahead of you
Don’t worry about triumph
Don’t worry about failure unless it comes through your own fault
Don’t worry about mosquitoes
Don’t worry about flies
Don’t worry about insects in general
Don’t worry about parents
Don’t worry about boys
Don’t worry about disappointments
Don’t worry about pleasures
Don’t worry about satisfactions

Things to think about: 

What am I really aiming at?
How good am I really in comparison to my contemporaries in regard to:

(a) Scholarship
(b) Do I really understand about people and am I able to get along with them?
(c) Am I trying to make my body a useful instrument or am I neglecting it?

With dearest love,

Daddy

P.S. My come-back to your calling me Pappy is christening you by the word Egg, which implies that you belong to a very rudimentary state of life and that I could break you up and crack you open at my will and I think it would be a word that would hang on if I ever told it to your contemporaries. “Egg Fitzgerald.” How would you like that to go through life with — “Eggie Fitzgerald” or “Bad Egg Fitzgerald” or any form that might occur to fertile minds? Try it once more and I swear to God I will hang it on you and it will be up to you to shake it off. Why borrow trouble?

Love anyhow

And, this is just one example! I get one of these fascinating snapshots from somebody else’s life delivered to my in-box daily. I love it.

The man behind Letters of Note is Shaun Usher, a Manchester-based, 33-year-old writer. He is the self-titled curator of correspondence. He is also currently putting together a book on the best Letters of Note to date. It is due for release in November. If you don’t already subscribe, go and check it out for yourself here.

(I am off taking a wee sojourn to sunny Queensland over the next few days which means my response times to your comments may be a little slower than usual. I do love hearing from you, so please don’t stop! – It may just take me a little longer to get back to you. Cheers!)

Pooh and Tigger and Star Signs and Thanks and Blog Friends and More…

11 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by Joanna in Random Stuff

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

A.A. Milne, Art, Australia, Blog, Blog award, Blog Awards, Books, Christopher Robin, culture, Design, Dogs, food, Illustration, Kenzo, Literature, New Zealand, Piglet, Poodles, Pooh, Shoes, Sketches, Slow Food, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh

Into The Sunset With Pooh and Piglet by E.H. Shepard

Into The Sunset With Pooh and Piglet by E.H. Shepard
(Image sourced from here)

Back in April, when I wrote my Oscar speech, I mentioned that I had held off responding to a couple of blogging award nominations because I found it much, much easier to write or post about almost anything other than myself. Well, it appears it hasn’t got any easier with time and I am well overdue again. How rude of me! 

“Oh Tigger, where are your manners?”

“I don’t know, but I bet they’re having more fun than I am.” – A.A. Milne

So, as with Tigger and his guilty conscience, I apologise for my tardy response, and I now give you a wee post to say thank you to a few of the lovely people out in blog-land who have nominated This Sydney Life for a few more blog awards.

First, there is Life in Relation to Art with the One Lovely Blog Award. Next, Simple Cherishes with a double banger – the One Lovely Blog Award and The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Finally, my Polish blogging bud’, Layyla Over the Rooftops of the World with The Versatile Blogger Award. To you all, I say a very heart-felt ‘Thank you!’…

Type Written Thank You

(Image sourced from here)

Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. – A.A. Milne

I don’t think I’m a terribly naïve person. Truly. And, I’m not a girl who follows her horoscopes, either. But, it has been mentioned, on more than one occasion that I may be a typical Libra. This is possibly a good thing given my birthday is in October! I did a quick google search and it turns out that, with one or two exceptions, that could be correct, too*… A Libra loves art, is a slight perfectionist, is charitable, can be bossy at times (LM nods head), enjoys a debate, dislikes ugliness (who doesn’t?), and apparently can’t take criticism.

Anyhoo, all of this is a long-winded introduction to me attempting to inarticulately express how much I’m getting out of this blogging gig, which in turn seems to tick a lot of those ‘Libra boxes’** So much more, in fact, than I ever could have imagined. And, that is almost entirely due to the connections blogging has provided me from around the globe. This includes the comments I receive about my wee shares and finds – mostly, but not always, from fellow bloggers who have stumbled across This Sydney Life; and also, the bloggers I meet through reading their blogs – some often, and others more intermittently.

I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen. – A.A. Milne

Without exception, my experience in ‘starter blog-land’ has been a welcoming, friendly and supportive adventure. It has surpassed all expectations. My wee band of subscribers is growing, so I must be doing something right. Best of all, I have a legitimate outlet for all those little design-oriented finds I want to share. How lucky am I? 

If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear. – A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

One of the great things about the blog world is that you can find a blog about just about any subject you can imagine. And, because blogs, by their very nature, are not like committing to a novel, you can dip your toe in the water to see if you like the temperature before subscribing. And, they’re free. Yeah, Baby!

So, just for a bit of a gas, I thought I’d randomly choose some topics that interest me right now on this Sunday afternoon and google them to see if I could find blogs on these subjects. Here’s what I found:

New Zealand Design: Fancy – a yummy looking blog featuring awesome design stuff from New Zealand & around the world. But mainly NZ. I am now a fan.

Australian Design: ModaMuse – modern Australian and New Zealand designers, artisans and crafters. Oh, yes please

Shoes: All That Shoes – I’m a girl so it follows that i like shoes. Check out this tumblr site for some oh-so-sexy shoes… Don’t even get me started on the last pair I purchased – orange patent Kenzo heels, no less! 

Slow Food: Red-Tail Blog – Slow food in Australia that is good, clean and fair. I wish I’d found this one much earlier. GREAT blog!

Poodles: The Poodle & Dog Blog – a blog to celebrate the remarkable, the ordinary, and the very funny dogs that share our world. Enough said.

Sydney Eats: Grab Your Fork – Sydney eats, tasty travels and a feast of photos. Helen has been writing this award-winning blog for a while now. There’s a reason it is so popular…

I love the inter-web!

I think I’ll sign off now. I’ve rabbited on for long enough. But thanks again, to all of you, who pop in to This Sydney Life. I appreciate it. Every time.

TTFN. Ta Ta For Now! – A.A. Milne

* If you happen to be an expert on horoscopes, I haven’t done an in-depth study on my Ascendant sign or Moon sign. I readily acknowledge I am no professional in these matters.

** ‘Libra boxes’ – perhaps not the most appropriate term I could have chosen, hmmm?

You can’t judge a book by its cover…

05 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Joanna in Design

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Accessories, Art, Books, Camille Bidault-Waddington, Embroidery, Fashion, France, Handbag, Liberty Print, Literature, Lolita, Minaudière, Olympia Le-Tan, Paris, Photograph, Shopping, style

I covet an Olympia Le-Tan minaudière.  They are GORGEOUS.

(minaudière: A small ornamental case for a woman’s cosmetics, jewelry, or personal items that is often carried as a handbag)

Housewive's Choice

'housewives' Choice', Self portrait by Camille Bidault-Waddington

Olympia Le-Tan is a self-taught fashion designer based in Paris.

In September 2009 she launched her accessories label, inspired by the first edition covers of classic literary favorites like “Lolita” and “The Catcher in the Rye.”   They combine her “two obsessions, embroidery (a talent she inherited from her grand-mother), and literature (a passion she shares with her father, French illustrator Pierre Le-Tan) to create one of a kind handbags and minaudières. The bags are handmade in France in very limited editions.”

From the painstaking hand embroidery to the Liberty-print lining – every detail is oh-so-beautifully rendered.  So lust-worthy…

Doctor ZhivagoFirst AidAlcoholics Anonymous

You are Younger Than you Think

Isn’t she a clever and talented woman?

(All images sourced from Olympia Le-Tan’s website here)

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