HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cover art by Sempe.Not doing much tonight. New Years hasn't been a Big Event in my life for many years. I guess I'm just not a hoopla kind of gal.Here's a little New Year's gift from me to you, by way of Susan Branch's beautiful blog where I first saw this bit of charming video and song. What Are You Doing New Years?Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSq1cez_flQ&feature=player_embeddedTonight's a good...

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Saturday Salon: A Favorite Painting or Two.....or Three!

J.C. Leyendecker (1874 - 1951), the splendid German born American Golden Age illustrator was most closely associated with The Saturday Evening Post, a hugely popular and widely read magazine for which he created 322 covers. He originated the New Years Babies in this post.Leyendecker's red cheeked Santas were also a favorite. As were the stylishly chic (and often impossibly handsome) men and women he illustrated...

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Friday's Forgotten Books: 200 Decorative Title-Pages Edited by Alexander Nesbitt

A very esoteric choice, I know. It's a 1964 Dover Publishing art reference/reverence book from my bookshelves. I just got the notion to share it with you today.This wonky cover is the only flat one I could find online.I thought Friday's Forgotten (or Overlooked) Books day had been cancelled, but I was wrong. It's alive and thriving and shortly to appear on Todd Mason's blog, SWEET FREEDOM. Patti Abbott who usually collects the...

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It's Under-appreciated or Forgotten Music Today

I didn't get the memo that it was Under-appreciated Music Day today, but I'm quick on the zig-zag. Besides, I didn't have my Friday's Forgotten Book post written up yet and was sitting here wondering what to write about. It's been THAT kind of week. Lazy. Sleepy. Relaxing.All of today's blog links are gathered over at Todd Mason's blog, SWEET FREEDOM. Don't forget to go take a look and listen.On the spur of the moment, I've come up with...

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Favorite Books Of The Year.

I decided to separate the Vintage from the More Recent Pub. Date Reads. Made more sense to me that way, especially when my reading for 2011 seemed to be in half and half mode. Also thought it only fair to omit re-reads from Best Of consideration. I generally assume that any book I'm re-reading is already a 'best'.2011 was a great year for books (despite the naysayers) and I loved many of them. (As you know, I rarely finish a book...

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Christmas Loot...uh, Swag...uh...Gifts!

I'm showing the British cover because the American one is uggo.Surprise, surprise, Santa brought books! Thank goodness!! (Plus a few other special goodies including a little point and shoot camera to replace my last one which went kaput after five or so years.)My daughter Skye ordered up a hardcover book of my granddaughter's year in pictures with this gorgeous photo making for a gorgeous cover.My mom and pop in...

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Tuesday's Overlooked (or Forgotten) Films: KISS ME, KATE (1953) starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson and Ann Miller

It's Tuesday and you know what that means: Overlooked (or Forgotten) Films Day. This weekly meme is hosted by Todd Mason over at his blog, SWEET FREEDOM. Don't forget to check in and see what other films or audio/visual treats other bloggers are talking about today.KISS ME KATE directed by George Sidney, is the perfect musical (a Broadway perennial) for those of us who are recuperating from making rather too much merry this past...

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