Books About Town

The Librarian, Author: Terry Pratchett

If you're in London then you've probably already seen the amazing new book benches that are up for the summer. I haven't ventured out of the sticks recently so haven't seen them myself but I love all the designs and I particularly love the idea behind them; to celebrate Britain's works of literature and promote reading.

There are 50 benches in all and they have been created by Wild in Art in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust and a lot of talented artists. You can find out more about them on the Books About Town website.

Here are a few of my favourite benches.

Dr Seuss: Author: Dr Theodor Seuss Geisel

Earnest, Author: Oscar Wilde

Elmer the Elephant, Author: David McKee

Great Expectations, Author: Charles Dickens

Sherlock Holmes Stories, Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Canterbury Tales, Author: Geoffrey Chaucer

The Lion, the With and the Wardrobe, Author: C. S. Lewis

Retro Children's TV on Amazon Instant

Firstly, I'd just like to say that I'm not promoting Amazon Instant Video, or Prime or Lovefilm Instant or whatever the hell it's called now. In fact I've gone off it quite a lot since it's changed from Lovefilm as the new layout is rubbish. However, it does have an amazing selection of retro children's TV shows that have given me a huge dose of nostalgia.

I know this makes me sound really old, but they just don't make them like they used to. I don't have kids, but what I have seen of children's TV nowadays, Waybaloo and whatnot, makes me feel like I want to bang my head against a wall.

So when I discovered Amazon't selection of old TV shows I was in heaven. Here are a few of my favourites. If you don't have Amazon Prime I'm sure you'll be able to find them on YouTube somewhere.

Huxley Pig

I can't say Huxley Pig without saying oink oink straight afterwards. I love the cheerful narration by Martin Jarvis and the imaginative but simple adventures of Huxley Pig and Sam the Seagull.

Thomas and Friends

I never realised at the time that Ringo Starr narrates Thomas and Friends, a frigging Beatle! I don't really have to explain why Thomas the Tank Engine is a classic; the books were great and the TV show built on this. Every character is perfect, especially the Fat Controller.

The Wild Thornberrys

Speaking of not realising celebrities voiced characters, The Wild Thornberrys has loads of famous voices; Eliza is Lacey Chabert from Mean Girls (presumably before Mean Girls fame), the great Tim Curry voices Nigel Thornberry and, randomly, Flea from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers voices Donnie. Amazing TV programme, even if Eliza was a bit too much of a goody two shoes sometimes.

Rocko's Modern Life

I never actually realised that Rocko was a Wallaby, I thought he was some kind of dog. Rocko's Modern Life has got that simple but surreal comedy that always wins in kids shows. Especially love Heffer.

The Shoe People

I'm so glad I found this. The Shoe People was one of my favourite shows and I had a much watched video of it when I was younger. I just loved when all the dust cleared and the shoes started to come to life.

The Angry Beavers

I distinctly remember my dad laughing at this programme and saying that "somebody has a dirty sense of humour." Didn't get it at the time. Even though I do get it now Angry Beavers still reminds me of a more innocent age.

Charlie Chalk

I just love all the stop motion children's programmes; Postman Pat, Fireman Sam and more. Charlie Chalk was another great one about a clown who finds himself on a strange island.

Round The Twist

I don't think I ever worked out what Round The Twist was about, something to do with a lighthouse and a ghost? But it has the catchiest theme tune ever. Worth a watch just for the eighties/nineties fashions.

The Herbs

Finally I have The Herbs, this show is from the seventies and is one that my parents used to watch. The fact that it is still being watched shows how great the characters of Parsley the Lion and the other herbs are. I'm a very friendly lion called Parsley...


There are loads of other great old children's shows on Amazon but I can't be bothered to write any more. Instead I'm going to be a grown woman watching children's television on a Saturday night. I'm owning it.

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Tattoo Trends: Foxes

13 Gorgeous Fox Tattoos

Image via Pinterest

Fox tattoos seem to have been growing in popularity in the last few years. This may be because there has been a big surge in popularity for anything woodland; not just in tattoos but fashion and home too. Foxes are one of the favourite woodland symbols. In fact, I've done a Tattoo Trends post on animal tattoos before, and this fox tattoo was by far the most popular on Pinterest.

Image via Time for Pandas

Traditionally, a fox symbolises intelligence, cunning, and often trickery. People choose to have them tattooed to reference these features as well as a sense of fun, wildness and an affinity with nature.

I've gathered together a few of my favourite fox tattoos that I've seen around the web; there are some stunningly amazing ones done by very talented artists.

A lot of fox tattoos are realistic and have a traditional feel.

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Image via Ruth Tattoo Ideas

Other people are choosing to have more cartoon styled fox tattoos, or ones with a surrealistic feel.

Image via Pinterest

Image via Tumblr

Image via appetit_tattoo on Statigram

Image via Iyam on Flikr

Geometric tattoos are incredibly popular at the moment and fox tattoos have not escaped the geometric styling.

Image via World Style

Image via Pinterest

Tattoo Artist: Madame Chan - Image via Inked Mag

Finally, I also found this amazing Rosie's Walk tattoo. Anyone else remember this book?

Image via Pinterest

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If I Were A Rich Wo(Man): Cracking Crockery

Lovely Tableware Sets to Get Your Mouth Watering

There's something about January that makes me want to nest and clean the house. It's probably the stereotypical new year new start thing; it makes me do a massive clean out in January. The only problem is that I then get a huge urge to buy all new homeware.

Last week I was dreaming about new bedding, this week I've been looking at tableware sets.

I'm spectacularly broke this month so I won't be purchasing any of this lovely crockery, but I can still wish.

The Blue Set

There's something so classic about blue and white, in all sorts of homewares, not just dining. I like the delicacy of the design of the Blue Hand-Painted Ceramic set by David Pantling from Iapetus, especially when contrasted with the chunkiness of the pottery.

This teapot is amazing, very Alice in Wonderland.

I feel this is a mug I could have a proper cup of tea in.

Unfortunately the mug alone is £19.95.

Pieces priced from £12.50

The Ethnic Set

The Wanderer crockery collection from Creative Tops is inspired by travel and Far Eastern markets. I like that the dinner set is full of colour and you can mix and match pieces instead of having all the same shades and pattern. It's very eclectic.

The set isn't available until February 2014. The pieces are actually quite reasonably priced, but I'd want to buy them all, which would definitely set me back.

Pieces priced from £4.99

The Luxury Set

The Butterfly Home Range by Matthew Williamson from Debenhams includes a lovely peacock tea set. Including a teapot, cake stand, cups, saucers and more, the collection has a vintage feel and is colourful but muted.

The tableware range also has a slight Oriental look, with the peacocks and the detailing.

Pieces priced from £22.50.

The Cartoon Set

The Moomins, who doesn't love them? The classic cartoon is iconic and easily identifiable. Cloudberry Living has a fun range of Arabia Moomin Adventure tableware which I would love to have in my kitchen.

I like the limited use of colour; it highlights the main black and white images.

Pieces priced from £16.


That's all folks.

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Important News

Apologies, I dropped off the face of the planet a bit there. I've been pretty busy doing real-life things, see my actual real-life blog for more information.

But I have returned to make a very important announcement.

CatDog is on LoveFilm!

This is very exciting news.

I mainly remembered the theme tune, of which I could only sing the CatDog chorus. The rest I sung like Peter Griffin.





It's always dangerous to watch something you liked when you were little; often it doesn't turn out to be as good as you remember. However, CatDog is just as good if not better as I actually understand a lot of the jokes now.

The only thing is that I still don't know the answer to the ultimate question as posed by Peter Griffin...

Where does the poop go?


I'll be back with some more serious and ground-breaking posts soon.


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The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole

I recently revisited Adrian Mole...

A few days ago I realised that during a couple of house moves and clear outs I had lost most of my Adrian Mole books. This was a tragedy. So, I popped on eBay and Amazon and bought all the ones I needed.

The other day, this package arrived.

Adrian Mole Books

Needless to say, I have not moved much from the sofa since the books arrived, except to occasionally feed myself and perform necessary bodily functions. I've dedicated as much time as I can to reading them.

Having said that, I did have to take occasional breaks from Adrian. He'd become too clueless, too apathetic or sanctimonious and I'd have to leave him alone for a bit as I felt myself getting increasingly frustrated with him. But that's the beauty of Sue Townsend's creation; a lot of the time you want to slap him, yet even when he becomes unbearable, you still route for him.

I've got to say, I much prefer the younger diaries of Adrian Mole to the later ones. I feel more warmth towards him at thirteen and three quarters; his over-inflated sense of self, coupled with his inbuilt apathy, sits better on a teenager than it does on a thirty year old. I found myself wanting to tell him to grow up and pull himself together, but then if he did that there would be nothing to read.

The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4

The first Adrian Mole book is really perfect, Sue Townsend captures teenage awkwardness and family dynamics so well. Plus, it's Mole's naivety that drives the book; the reader knows what's happening with his mum and the next-door neighbour, even if he doesn't.

Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years

The last book, The Prostrate Years, left so many questions unanswered; will Adrian beat his illness, will he ever get together with Pandora, where the hell is his son William? Will there be another book? Sue Townsend is now blind. She used to write with a large marker pen but now she can't see a thing. So it's unlikely that we'll hear any more of Adrian. And maybe that's the best way.

If you've never read Adrian Mole, go and do it now. If you have, then revisit him, he hasn't changed.

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If I Were A Rich (Wo)Man: Art Prints

This week's wish-list is all made up of art prints, inspired by the new Penguin prints from Easy Art.

First up...

The Wind's Tale: I Used to Meet Her in the Garden by Edmund Dulac

The Wind's Tale: I Used to Meet Her in the Garden by Edmund Dulac. This print is of one of his many illustrations for Hans Christian Anderson's stories. I think it's the book art style that appeals to me. Plus, I'd like to wear a dress like that and wander around in the wind outside of a castle. This print is $76 from Artsy Craftsy, which has a great selection of products. It's dangerous to start looking around on the site.

Case in point is my next print; Hanging the Moon and Stars by Arthur Rackham.

Hanging the Moon and Stars by Arthur Rackham

This was apparently inspired by the short story Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving. I haven't read it and I may now have to. This picture manages to be sweet yet slightly disturbing, which may be why I like it! I love the idea of hanging the moon and stars up.

Most of my choices are from or inspired by books, the next one's no exception.

Kicking Leaves by Shirley Hughes

I've posted about Stories by Firelight by Shirley Hughes previously. Her stories and illustrations bring back memories from my childhood. Kicking Leaves by Shirley Hughes is a limited edition print, £95. Too much for me but I'm considering saving up for this; not only does it remind me of my childhood but it sums up the joy of crunching through Autumn leaves.

Finally, I came across this next print on Etsy.

Stepping into Woodland Light by EarthsWhisper

Stepping into Woodland Light comes from Etsy shop EarthsWhisper. At £388.51 it's much too expensive for me but I can still admire it. I love the dappling of light and the green shades.

That's it for this week.
Have a happy Friday.

Penguin Book Art Prints

The Great Gatsby - Easy Art Print

I love a good book print.
I love anything to do with books, so these new Penguin Prints from Easy Art caught my attention.

The Penguin covers, designed by Edward Young, are instantly recognisable and can usually guarantee that there's a good story inside.

Easy Art has quite a few of the triple stripe cover prints on canvas.

Wuthering Heights - Easy Art Print

But there are also more covers from The Penguin English Library Series, designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith (good name).

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Easy Art Print

Jane Eyre - Easy Art Print

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Easy Art Print

I love this cover for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn - Easy Art Print

Easy Art also do the prints framed.

Far from the Madding Crowd - Easy Art Print