new discovery...

Last Friday after school Lil and I called in the little second hand book shop on our way home. 

It's an Aladdin's cave of treasures and has that smell of old books, paper and print. 

We went straight to the children's section and started looking through all the books. Lil picked a Jacqueline Wilson book straight away, then started asking how old the books were,  I showed her how to find out the publication date, 

" Wow, they're older than Daddy," 

" Yep, and some are even older than Grandad and great grandma Ev!!" 

" No way"...way!

The owner was laughing at Lil then got out the oldest book he currently had in the shop, it was 120 years old and Lil was very impressed with his interesting stories about the content of the book and that the book would have only been read on Sunday at Sunday school. 

I love shops like this.

Anyway, I found two old Orlando books, illustrated by Kathleen Hale. 

They were only £1.50 each and they have the most fantastic illustrations in them, ( the illustration above is my fave, click on the pictures to get a better look)

the use of colour is so inspirational and every time I look at them I notice something new in the details. The text is loaded with humour and wonderful characterisations.

Read the text on this last picture, Orlando is a doctor with a difficult patient.( sorry for wonky scan)

I think I'm going to be inspired by Kathleen Hale's work in my next screen prints!

Just changing the subject, as we drove to school this morning it was raining, bright sunshine and a massive rainbow stretched over the valley and this song was on the radio, 

the kids were quiet ( for once) while the music played, (I'd never heard it before) and while it was on Sonny was in the car seat next to me and reached for my hand on the gear stick and said " Mummy, this song makes me want to cry and love you" !!!! ... in touch with his emotions at 3 and a half!!!! Ahh just one of those tiny magic moments you get every now and then.