Bibliosophy Handmade

Vintage Kids Book Fridays: Daniel Boone

I found this great copy of Daniel Boone, by Esther Averill on Amazon.  Esther Averill was the author of the popular (and still popular), Jenny and the Cat Club books.  But she also wrote a number of works on American history, including this treasure about Daniel Boone.  This is another great kid read that is delightful for parents too.  Plus, of course, the illustrations...

I really love the closing paragraph describing Daniel's love of the frontier.

Once again, please leave any great vintage reads you would like to share below in the comments!

Wishing you a joyous Easter weekend!

 

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Vintage Children's Book Fridays

I decided recently it would be fun to do a little link-up party every Friday to share quality children's book suggestions.  Our family has been fortunate enough to find some great reads for the under 4 years set, but we are always looking for more to add to our favorites.  Please share a book that you and your family love, and let's say it has to have been published before 1980 (I can't stand to qualify myself as vintage yet:).  Write up a post on your blog, with pretty pictures of course, the illustrations are so important, and leave a link to your specific post in the comments.  Hopefully we will all benefit with some new titles!  Please grab the linky button in the sidebar to display on your blog.

So, today, I bring you Cowboy Small, by Lois Lenski.

Published in 1949, Cowboy Small tells the simple story of a cowboy and his horse Cactus.  There is great terminology in the book, as well as a glossary in the front to explain any unfamiliar terms.  The perfect length book for 2 and 3 year olds, it has bright, engaging illustrations.

The endpapers are some of my favorites of all time, with a labeled picture of Cowboy Small, Cactus, and all their gear and tools.

Cowboy Small is one of a series of Mr. Small books by Lois Lenski, and luckily most of them are still in print.  I first found this at our local library, along with Policeman Small, Papa Small, The Little Train (Engineer Small), The Little Airplane (Pilot Small), and The Little Auto.  These are lovely books for little boys, with educational pictures, and a requisite amount of adventure. 

Link up in the comments if you like, and check back next Friday for another vintage literary find.  Happy Weekend!

 

Thursday Pretty: In Praise of Pinafores

You know I love all things vintage, and I have recenty become enamored with vintage girls pinafores.  It started with this:

I stumbled upon the vintage children's books Flicka, Ricka,Dicka by Maj Lindman last fall.  They are stories of three little Swedish girls in the 1940's and their adventures.  If you are looking for quality children's literature, this is it: sweet stories, with a moral lesson, and adorable illustrations.  Even my 2 year old is interested enough to sit through them.

Back to the pinafores.  The girls wear these awesome blue and white striped aprons in Flicka, Ricka, Dicka Bake A Cake, and I could not get them out of my mind.  The result?  A new little sewing pattern for girls sizes 2-6, to wear over their Sunday Best.  My own little Lovelies will be wearing their's at Easter dinner over their finery.

In honor of it's Scandinavian inspiration and the Swedish pioneers from my growing-up state of Minnesota, I have dubbed it the Pioneer Pinafore.  I envision those little fat blonde babies in their day dresses, Mother slipping a pinafore on, shoeing them out to the barn to fetch the day's fresh eggs.  And I have no doubt that after Easter, my little ones will be wearing their's to the park, the sandbox, the garden patch. 

You can find the pattern now in my Shop, and I will be putting together pinafore kits very soon with some very special fabric.  If you would like to be notified when kits arrive, please sign up for my newsletter in the sidebar (I only email once a month!).

Yarn Along

 
Well, my posts here are few and far between as we wait for #3.  My energy with two other little ones 2 and under is waning, and there is only enough for simple things these days.  I told my husband yesterday, I only have fight in me for about 10 toddler battles a day; our son won the 11th battle yesterday, and got to wear his slippers out to dinner, in the rain:) 

But knitting is still a comfort, and I'm working on a pretty sweater for my oldest girl for the fall, Springtime in Hollis.  I'm really loving the Dream in Color Classy yarn still, and I have some more in the stash for a matching sweater, in a different color, for her new little sister.

And still reading Adam Bede, usually in the bathtub, which I am again enjoying as our weather has turned cool again.  I also picked up Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; what a great reminder of the privilege it is to live freely and fellowship with other Christians.  We are blessed.

Looking forward to seeing what others are knitting and reading at Ginny's...

Yarn Along

 
I've got a Sugared Violets shawlette on the needles, and the babies have obligingly played somewhat nicely with each other lately to facilitate my progress.  Still, it's pretty slow going.  And in the evenings when my arms are too tired to knit (how can that be?), I'm making my way through Adam Bede, by George Eliot.  That too is taking a while, as there is a lot of dialect, which has really slowed the reading down.

Oh well, I'm trying now to focus on the joys of slow living, and preparing myself for an even slower pace when little #3 arrives soon!

Visit Ginny to see what others are knitting and reading....

Yarn Along - New Pattern!

 
 
This little pattern has been occupying some of my (now limited) knitting time as I worked out the kinks.  May I present The Heartwarmer!  I've long wanted to make one of these for the kids, but could never find a pattern that was just right.  Along with vests, these are the perfect solution to keep little chests warm while allowing for play.  Plus, they look so sweet!  This version is knit in Dream in Color Classy, colourway Ruby River.

The pattern is available for purchase now through Ravelry, the sidebar here, or in my Etsy shop!

Still not a ton of reading here, although last night I started Adam Bede by George Eliot.  Middlemarch is one of my all time favorite reads, so I look forward to seeing how her other works compare.

To see what others are knitting and reading, visit Ginny.

Taking the rest of the week off to enjoy Holy Week.  Happy Easter to you!

Yarn Along

 
Apologies for the blurry photo; this was the best I could do holding a squirmy baby early in the morning.

I'm still working on the Tweed Baby Blanket for the Little Girl, as a replacement for the one that was lost.....I still can't bear to think of all my hardwork/handknit goodness of the original one gone forever, but so it is....

And reading....A Rainbow of His Own, and Babies on the Go, which has precious watercolor illustrations.  We try to read with the kids, but they are still so young and the attention spans so short, that it usually devolves into a tug-of-war between babies, or a pushing match:)  I'm looking for some good grown-up reads, so I look forward to checking out everyone else's findings this week.  It is a reading time again.

Check out Ginny's for more knitting and reads!

Yarn Along

 
Not too much knitting or reading happening here; it seems to come and go in waves....

But, on the needles, which are waiting whenever I get the chance: a new secret project, in mouthwatering Dream in Color Classy, colourway Ruby River.

And reading, browsing, wishing I had more time:  Embroidery Companion, by Posie Gets Cosy.  We were at the library as a family this weekend, which means that I actually had a chance to look at the new arrivals, and I snagged this one.  Chock full of lovliness and inspiration.

Please stop back tomorrow, as I am having a giveaway of my Aubrey vest pattern!

You can see what others are knitting and reading here.

Saint Patrick's Day

We have a fun and busy day planned here!  Some green painting, a little storytelling, and a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner with Daddy. 
 We are trying to teach our children more about the lives of Christian saints.  It is not something I grew up with, but we think it's a valuable way to teach the history of our faith, and about the heroes of the faith.  To that end, I made a little playset of St. Patrick's life, inspired by this article.  Mine is not nearly as detailed or lovely (I may have to revamp my St. Patrick along these lines), but it does the job, and my little guy loves to see the story in action.  We are using the Tomie De Paola, Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland, along with the playset, and I find the illustrations particularly luminous.  I would like to own this book eventually, and it may be sooner than later as the little girl has just ripped one of the pages of the library copy:) 
I'm trying something new this year and making my own "fake" corned beef from the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living.  The spice rub (above) that it marinates in is aromatic, and I have high hopes for tonight.  The veggies cook with it, and, with a little potato/apple mash on the side, we have our meal.  I hope the kids like it:) 
Our Irish soda bread was made earlier in the week for a baking activity, and my little one was fascinated with the measuring cups and flour.  Extremely cute; extremely messy!

Much to look forward to today; best be getting on with it!

Yarn Along

 
On the needles: a new design, my first in multiple sizes (eek!), so it's been a challenge!  But one of my goals for this year is to push myself beyond what I can already do.  So here goes!

And I'm reading.... you all are going to get a good laugh here.... Making the "Terrible" Twos Terrific:)  I'm about to have three children, but my oldest is just two, so I'm still very much a newbie.  This book is quite reassuring because it's helped me understand what is normal and expected behavior for this age, and what behaviors we may just have to wait to change until he matures.  Plus, the author puts the rages and irrationalities of the two year old in humorous terms; it really helps in those trying moments!                                                                                                                                           

Can't wait to check out everyone else's current reads and projects today!