Eyvind Earle

"Barns in Snow"

Recently, while on a search for an alphabet poster that is not too busy or too precious or one that does not mask, blend, or hide the actual letters (I seem to be asking for too much with this criteria) - I came across the work of Eyvind Earle.

An American artist, Earle is most famously known for his work as the background illustrator of Disney classics like "Peter Pan," "Lady and the Tramp" and "Sleeping Beauty." In terms of background and setting, I've always thought these were the most beautiful Disney films and so it is wonderful to now know that what I actually love about those films is Earle's gorgeous use of color and space. And, as you can see below, it turns out that his own artwork is equally as captivating (I love his barns). There really is something about the way he was able to create such haunting and atmospheric landscapes through the use of such rich and deep jewel-like colors and open space.

"Autumn Sunset"

"Cattle Country"

"Fields and Distance Hills"

"Gray Coastline"

"Late September"

"Winter Barnyard"

all artwork via eyvindearle.com

swim cap beauties

via glamour daze

Yeah, I know... In my current condition, I'm not one for hanging out on a hot beach or crowded pool in a swimsuit of any kind. And with my pinhead, I am also someone who should never - and I mean never EVER - wear a swim cap. And yet I punish myself by being drawn to these vintage pictures of bathing beauties in the prettiest of swim caps. I wish being at the beach could still look this lovely...

 via Modern Marie

via Conde Nast

via Pink Cupcake Vintage

 via mOnKeY pAnTs

vintage Disneyland

via We Heart It

I'm looking forward to taking many trips with Sweet Pea one day, but present-day Disneyland or Disney World are not on the top of my list. I would, however, consider it if we could travel back in time and visit the Disneyland of the 1950s....

Disneyland, 1957 by Ehlers Reynolds (via All Art is Quite Useless)

Disneyland Hotel & Monorail via cwalsh415

Tomorrowland, Disneyland, 1957 via monkey pants

Mickey and Minne Mouse, 1950s via Miehana

via Mallory Makes Things

photo by Allen Grant from the archives of Life magazine via ... I Love Tea!

Reason to love rain (#6)

For the literature! One of my favorites is the children's book "Umbrella" (1958) by Taro Yashima. (By the way, if either Lorelei or Mae is reading this post - stop now!! Because I want to get this book for your little girls one day). I adore this book's color palette, cityscape, the choice of perspectives, the way Yashima depicts the streak and fall of rain, but also the heartbreaking story.

"Vintage Kids' Books My Kids Love" sums up the effect of story beautifully as one which, at its conclusion, makes parents cry. It begins simply enough as being about a little girl who receives an umbrella as a gift and can barely wait until she can use it. But wait she must until it actually rains. Finally, a rainy day arrives and she is able to proudly and happily use her umbrella.

This alone would make for a charming and beautiful little picture book story, but then we get the following conclusion and a HUGE lump in our throats:

Momo is a big girl now,
and this is a story
she does not remember at all.
Does she remember or not,
it was not only the first day in her life
that she used her umbrella,
it was also the first day in her life
that she walked alone,
without holding either
her mother's or her father's hand. 

Jeez - those last lines get me every time!

images via Jill M. Casey and Vintage Kids' Books My Kids Love

quote via Vintage Kids' Books...

Kennedys in summer

Mark Shaw photo via svenskamobler.com

Having lived in Massachusetts for a large part of my life, I know how much the Kennedys mean to so many (New England is as obsessed with them as it is with Whitey Bulger and stories of the Irish Mob in Boston). And, with the death of Ted Kennedy, the history of this family is again being passionately discussed (I saw a great documentary about them the other night on PBS).

They were a beautiful and engaging family. And, as the reaction to Ted Kennedy's death exemplifies, their political and altruistic interests greatly shaped modern American life (I liked this brief article on Slate.com about the littlest brother's political legacy). They were, however, also a very troubled family that used their influence and power to win elections and cover-up scandals (see, now, the dark side of Ted Kennedy's legacy).

The Kennedys seemed (and continue to seem) to exist on extreme sides of a spectrum. There is the beautiful myth captured in these photographs of a young family glowing with the haze and light of summer. There are the hard facts of profound and important political, social, and cultural accomplishments. And then there is the dark underbelly revealed in newspaper pictures of a car being dragged out of water and in stories of unfaithful husbands. The Kennedy family has such a contradictory and rich legacy, and we have such a complicated love for them.

(Most, if not all, of these pictures (I can't id the last one) of this young Kennedy family were taken by Mark Shaw in the late 1950s, early 60s.)

photograph via markshawphoto.com

photograph via markshawphoto.com

Mark Shaw photo via ultraswank.net

photograph via markshawphoto.com

photograph via markshawphoto.com

image via ffffound.com