Eulalie Banks Illustrator -- At The Seaside

When I was down beside the sea
A wooden spade they gave to me
To dig the sandy shore
My holes were empty like a cup
In every hold the sea came up,
Till it could come no more
(Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses, 1929)

Eulalie Banks (1895-1999) was an English-born writer, artist, illustrator and muralist who lived the majority of her long and creative life in California. She is best-known for the over fifty children's books that she illustrated, including several that she also authored.

Tom Tierney Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Paper Dolls

Artist Tom Tierney has created a meticulously researched and beautifully rendered paper doll collection of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994). There are five dolls, along with two figures representing her husbands John F. Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis. Accompanying the dolls are 27 costumes. The book captures Jacqueline's superb style and elegance. Of particular interest is the part of the book dedicated to the White House years and the beautiful reproduction of some of Oleg Cassini's gowns.

It's Spring and I'm Craving Cupcakes

Spring might bring you thoughts of gardening but I've been thinking about cupcakes lately. Just a tiny bite of sweetness, some fluffy icing topped off by a fondant flower and the world seems to be a nicer place. So today I'm baking and creating and celebrating Spring!

The Walkie Talkie Lookie TV Camera

Ultimate geekery Popular Science June 1952 cover illustration of Dave Garroway (1913 - 1982) the founding host of Today, demonstrating the Walkie Talkie Lookie TV Camera used at the 1952 Republican and Democratic National Conventions.

The Walkie-Talkie-Lookie was a portable TV camera and sending station built by RCA, light enough for one man to carry. The outfit consisted of a camera weighing ten pounds connected to a three-foot-long fifty pound back pack. Ouch! The back pack transmitted TV images to a nearby station antenna and then on to the country's huge TV audience. How times have changed.

Heart Beet Paper

These tremendously environmentally friendly handmade papers were created by bonfires. In addition to handmade papers, bonfires makes unique sculptural collages and greeting cards. These lovely papers, in shades of pink, were made with real beet juice and are embedded with an ounce of beet seeds. Thick and pliable they are perfect papers to use in scrap booking or to incorporate into the design of wedding invitations. Ever so thoughtful, 10% of every purchase at bonfires is set aside towards enhancing the Lake Agassiz landscape.

Last Minute Entertaining Ideas

During Sunday's fantastic Team Canada vs. Team USA Olympic hockey game, I served some "last minute" appetizers. Using two different prepared dips, I filled hollowed out cherry tomatoes and served another plate with a variety of bread crisps. For a bit of flavor, I just added some of the tomato to the dip and saved the rest for spaghetti sauce later.