little red fox

girl crush: edith holden

 

During one of my last trips to Virginia, I came across my mother-in-law's stash of books related to gardening. She was a landscaper for a time, and more importantly, was president of the Garden Club of Virginia for many years. A few of the books looked really interesting and beautiful, but this one in particular caught my eye. As you can see, it's called 'The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady' and it...its just remarkable, is what it is. Aside from the description on the book flap, nothing--not a word--has been changed. 

On January 1st, 1906, Edith Holden started a journal to carefully record the countryside of Olton, Warwickshire throughout the year... 

Every word was carefully written by hand, and every single picture she painted into the book herself. This was a woman who loved nature...

...and also had the sensitivity of an artist...

I looked up the entry for this time of the year: for August 17th (close enough) she went cycling to Aberfoil. "Very bright, clear day, with wonderfully fine distant views. On the high ridge of hills between Aberfoil and the Trossachs I found the bright scarlet berries of the Bear-berry growing among the heather, and sundew in flower. Found some Gentian beside Loch Vennachar."

 

I can only guess how much time she spent on this and how much this object must have meant to her...and yet she never showed it to anyone. It was found 70 years later in an English country house. Isn't that both sad and amazing? I can't help but think at a time like that--when women weren't expected to work or have careers but keep a home and tend to the needs of others, she quietly and privately poured her heart into something she loved--and was quite good at--and never thought it important or interesting enough to show anyone. Ever.

And yet--over 100 years later a woman who was president of a garden club would be given the gift of her book and then years later her daughter-in-law would find it and obsess over it and stare at it and be filled with such admiration for her talent, and attention to detail and devotion to a project and be so moved by what seems like such a sweet shyness and feel so compelled to write about her on this thing called 'a blog' which happens on a 'computer'...wouldn't she be tickled to know? :)

 

 

More about her here. 

 

girl crush: shan shan

This girl...so I somehow accidentally happened upon her vintage Etsy shop, and thought her styling was jaw-droppingly cute and original. She does the wacky-romantic thing in such a bold interesting way...I think there's just something really wonderful in the water in Japan, though. 

 

 

 

...and then I completely fell in love with that hat! I assumed it was vintage until I realized she also has an Etsy craft shop with her own felt and knitted creations...like that hat!

...she also made that scarf...

...and anyone out there who's secretly in love with me, this is your chance to prove it. Because I love this hat so much...

...and also this one...

...and maybe this one, too :)

 

Essentially I want one of everything in every picture...

Her Etsy vintage shop: tinyvintagewardrobe

Her Etsy craft shop: tiny toadstool

Her website: http://www.tinytoadstool.com/

Her blog: http://webblog.tinytoadstool.com

girl crush(es): tanya davis and andrea dorfman

...because anybody who makes something like this has got to be wonderful!! My beautiful friend Rosie sent me this--knowing that neither one of us is technically "alone" (me: married, she: engaged). But that we both like to be alone. And speaking for myself, it is a cherished, important time when I have it. I first discovered it--or knew what it was--when I started going to the movies by myself in high school. And that's the way it is: my brain and thoughts expand in ways they simply can't--or won't--when other people are present. And I think there's nothing wrong with that. I knew that already and this little film confirms it. And like Rosie said--it's kinda best watched alone :)

girl crush: amanda vähämäki

I have been meaning to share this. I bought this book a few weeks ago at the amazing Rocketship comic book store here in Brooklyn. Disclaimer: I don't know if I could say I'm a comic book "fan" per se--I love art, I love folk art, I love drawing, I love storytelling and some comics fit into that. I'm generally not crazy about super-hero anything so I don't walk into a comic book store and want to buy everything. I love looking at all of it, I get inspired by a lot of it but not everything is up my alley. So this was a total accident--this happy little find. I knew nothing of this brilliant Finnish author/illustrator but she might now be my very favorite and is a new girl crush only after this one tiny gem. This book is...how to say? It's so weirdly brilliant it's now a 'before and after' marker for me in terms of graphic storytelling. It's bizarre and beautiful and primitive and moving--and short!--and so stream-of-consciousness it feels very dangerous and spooky...and I wasn't quite sure why. I blazed through it the first time and then the second and third time tried to go slow and savor every tiny element. She channels some deep childhood/dreamscape/all-rules-are-off territory that is both dear and terrifying--it's very special. But reading this little treasure makes me want to hang out with her and see first-hand how her brain works and know more about how she sees the world. Some people are fascinating. The only other book of hers I've found I just ordered, and I'm convinced the love will only grow... :)

(If you're interested and don't have a comic book store near you, it's available for purchase here.)

***

In other news--I have finally taken a step I've wanted to do for awhile but needed to take the time to learn HOW and so yesterday--my day off--I spent the entire day learning how to and then building my official home site:

marycatherinegarrison.com

Whew!

I've only become computer-literate in the last 2 years or so, so this was challenging. And exhilerating. It felt so wonderful to cross that off my long-term list of things-to-do (and also weirdly egotistical to use my name). But after all--it's all me--and its always been my goal to have everything under one umbrella and now it is :) And I also feel like I have a bit of a new skill set which is fun!

(ps: that's the new working cover of what will be my new 'episodic-graphic-novel-comic-book'--is there such a thing?--starring someone you might recognize :)

And you probably already noticed but I gave ye olde blogge a much-needed facelift/sprucing-up. I was ready for something a little more subtle and streamlined and I think this does the trick. I also removed the music player I had over the the right. I figured it was a bad sign when it was getting on my own nerves :) The nice thing about these things, though, is that you can change them whenever you want and I definitely like that as an option! And--another giant thing crossed off the list! It's good to be productive sometimes...have a fabulous day!!

julie morstad

I had to create a new category to properly feature this wonderful artwork: girl crushes. It occurred to me that one of the things I want to do on this little blog is feature some amazing, admirable ladies who deserve to be the recipient of our love, awe and respect--thus Julie Morstad is the charter admiree. I stumbled across her just today via The Clothes Horse and fell in love. I love her aesthetic, her style, her imagination, her creativity--all of it.

All of these make me want to be a better artist. They're just wondrous and beautiful. It looks like she's using come tissue and decorative papers for a collage-type effect which I also love to do and wish I could do it to such beautiful effect! So inspiring...

I looked for some of her books on-line (some here) and had to force myself not to buy them all. I may have to get the ABC cards, though. I'd love to do a set of those one day!!! I've already drawn a few in my mind, though its a project that will just have to get in line for now. I do have vintage bloomers to sew, after all!

The images are from her site, and her shop (where she sells some of her prints) is here. I really might have to treat myself to one of them...

In other news--today is my delightful day off and I am doing deliciously little. Still playing hide-and-seek with the sleep ghosts, so my laziness is guilt-free. I love lazy days off! I did some sewing and mending projects that had been piling up, and now I'm working on some new drawings/paintings, listening to Radio Dismuke, while the breeze from this gorgeous, gorgeous day makes me glad I'm alive. We're making this for dinner--pictures to come! 

Hope you're day is/was lovely!!