Saturday, December 29, 2012

Lovely New Fairytale Books

Calla editions are special hardcover reproductions from Dover Publications. This version of Cinderella lovingly reproduces Arthur Rackham's original illustrations. One plate is in full color, nine are in three-color, and the rest are in black and white. For another look at Rackham's illustrations for Cinderella, see this blog entry.

The Calla edition of Sleeping Beauty with Arthur Rackham's illustrations will be available in March 2013.

Also see this exquisite Arthur Rackham Sleeping Beauty edition by Seattle-area publisher Laughing Elephant.

The Calla edition of Twelve Dancing Princesses came out in September. It features the art of my very favorite children's illustrator, Kay Nielsen.

Ruth Sanderson draws lavishly detailed, lush oil paintings which are then turned into children's fairy tale book illustrations. Her newest book, Rose Red and Snow White comes out in just a couple of weeks.

Check out the phenomenal paper sculptures in The Fairy-Tale Princess. The castle on the cover is stunning, and wait til you see the paper wedding cake and paper forest depicted within!

I absolutely have to add this Sleeping Beauty pop-up book to my collection. (I collect both fairy tales and pop-up books, so when I see both in the same package, I get pretty excited!) It's been so popular, it's already out of stock on Amazon.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Adorable Les Petit Fairytales Books for Babies


"Snow White"

This cute board book is for babies aged 0-2. I love the charming illustrations! The pages have 1-2 words at most. Though the book series is titled in French, the words inside are in English.


Cinderella

I'm so looking forward to Cinderella being released in October. I have quite a few baby girls I want to gift this book to for Christmas!

Be sure to click on "Search inside this book" on Amazon for a sneak peek at the cute pages.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Disney's Fairytale Tea Sets

Serve tea in storybook style next time you have a tea party - even if it's just for fanciful grownups!


This blue Cinderella pumpkin coach teapot is made of ceramic, produced by Kreisler. It depicts Cinderella cheerfully smiling out the coach's window.


For very small girls, here's a pink plastic Cinderella's Coach tea pot. Great for apple juice "tea."


Or perhaps your little one prefers Princess Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. Here's Belle's teapot, also in plastic. We suggest using it to serve lemonade!


The Mad Hatter Teapot is based on traditional Disney Alice in Wonderland, not the new Tim Burton movie.


For a softer, gentler, more pastel Alice, here's an Alice in Wonderland Tea for One set.


This Snow White teapot is tinged with peach and decorated with porcelain birds and trees. It's made by Franz, and unfortunately it's for decorative use only (you can't serve tea from it).


This Disney Cinderella tea set is called "Enchanted Evening." It includes a cookie jar, creamer, teapot, sugar, and serving tray, but unfortunately no matching cups or saucers. You can get a better look at it here in photos from a more expensive listing.


"Cinderella and the Prince Dancing" is a figural Disney teapot. Lift the prince to pour out your tea.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Beauty and the Beast Inspired Furniture

STORYBOOK INSPIRATION:







COLORS:


STORYBOOK FURNITURE:


Throne Chairs, by Caspani


Cream French Carved Dining Table, at Sweet Pea and Willow



Hot Pink Velour Curtain Panels, from Wake Up Frankie


English Console Table, from Laura Kincade


Hand Carved Bed, from Laura Kincade


Wonderland Blue Velvet Armchair, from The French Bedroom Company


Parisian Love Seat, from Wake Up Frankie


Coach House Moulin Noir Triple Bookcase, at Osborne and Brown


Parisian Carved Cream Armoire, from The French Bedroom Company


Versailles Mirror-Fronted Gold Armoire, from The French Bedroom Company


Adivina Chandelier, on Amazon

RELATED LINKS:

Beauty and the Beast, on IMDB

Beauty and the Beast, on Wikipedia

Beauty and the Beast Birthday Party

Beauty and the Beast Voice Cast: Where Are They Now? (MTV Movies Blog)

Bittersweet and Strange: The Beauty and the Beast Fanlisting

No Prince Charming: The Beast Fanlisting

Tale as Old as Time Beauty and the Beast Fan Site

The Road to Oz: The Shaggy Man's Rooms

STORYBOOK INSPIRATION:


The Road to Oz (Dover Classic Edition), on Amazon


Through the big hall they went, up the grand staircase carpeted thick with velvet, and so along a wide corridor to a carved doorway. Here the servant paused, and opening the door said with polite deference:

"Be good enough to enter, sir, and make yourself at home in the rooms our Royal Ozma has ordered prepared for you. Whatever you see is for you to use and enjoy, as if your own. The Princess dines at seven, and I shall be here in time to lead you to the drawing-room, where you will be privileged to meet the lovely Ruler of Oz. Is there any command, in the meantime, with which you desire to honor me?"

"No," said the shaggy man; "but I'm much obliged."


The Road to Oz, 1960s Reprint Edition, on eBay


He entered the room and shut the door, and for a time stood in bewilderment, admiring the grandeur before him.

He had been given one of the handsomest apartments in the most magnificent palace in the world, and you can not wonder that his good fortune astonished and awed him until he grew used to his surroundings.

The furniture was upholstered in cloth of gold, with the royal crown embroidered upon it in scarlet. The rug upon the marble floor was so thick and soft that he could not hear the sound of his own footsteps, and upon the walls were splendid tapestries woven with scenes from the Land of Oz. Books and ornaments were scattered about in profusion, and the shaggy man thought he had never seen so many pretty things in one place before. In one corner played a tinkling fountain of perfumed water, and in another was a table bearing a golden tray loaded with freshly gathered fruit, including several of the red-cheeked apples that the shaggy man loved.

At the farther end of this charming room was an open doorway, and he crossed over to find himself in a bedroom containing more comforts than the shaggy man had ever before imagined. The bedstead was of gold and set with many brilliant diamonds, and the coverlet had designs of pearls and rubies sewed upon it. At one side of the bedroom was a dainty dressing-room with closets containing a large assortment of fresh clothing; and beyond this was the bath—a large room having a marble pool big enough to swim in, with white marble steps leading down to the water. Around the edge of the pool were set rows of fine emeralds as large as door-knobs, while the water of the bath was clear as crystal.


The Road to Oz Little Golden Book, on Amazon


For a time the shaggy man gazed upon all this luxury with silent amazement. Then he decided, being wise in his way, to take advantage of his good fortune. He removed his shaggy boots and his shaggy clothing, and bathed in the pool with rare enjoyment. After he had dried himself with the soft towels he went into the dressing-room and took fresh linen from the drawers and put it on, finding that everything fitted him exactly. He examined the contents of the closets and selected an elegant suit of clothing.

STORYBOOK FURNITURE:


Majestic Navy Blue Couch, from Haute House


Currey & Co "Paramour" Chandelier, from Candelabra Shop


Versailles Damask Gold Seat, from The French Bedroom Company


Parisian Toile Heart Chair, from The French Bedroom Company


Gold Chest of Drawers, from The French Bedroom Company


Louvre Baroque White Bed, from H@me Interiors

RELATED LINKS:

The Oz Enthusiast

The Road to Oz (Gutenberg Etext)

The Road to Oz Ebook, at WebWalker Press


The Shaggy Man of Oz, on Amazon

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Fairy Tale Board Games


Cinderella 1975 Board Game, on eBay

I was totally obsessed with Cinderella as a kid, so I would have thoroughly enjoyed this board game. However, I suspect my family members would have not volunteered to play this with me. Sheesh!


Cadaco's 1987 Cinderella Board Game, on eBay

Cadaco featured 1960s style artwork on their 1987 board game.


Snow White Vintage 1937 Board Game, on eBay

This charming 1937 game came out the same year as Disney's classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs movie. Aah, how refreshing - the player pieces are made out of wood, not plastic.


Snow White 1977 Game, on eBay

Here's a Snow White game that followed 40 years later, from Cadaco.


"Oh Gnome You Don't" features 100 colorful acrylic gems, cute gnome paper player movement pieces, and gnome brawl draw cards. Meant for players over the age of 13, this game can last around 90 minutes. Can be played with just two players, or up to five players. Also available on eBay.


Speaking of gnomes, who here is old enough to remember playing this 1979 Gnomes board game?


Monopoly Junior Disney Princesses, on Amazon

It may be impossible to entirely avoid the saccharine Disney Princesses.. so might as well join them in a rousing game of Junior Monopoly. Dibs on the Cinderella player piece!


Chutes and Ladders: Disney Princess

There's also a Disney Princess Chutes and Ladders board game, featuring characters sliding away from fanciful castle turrets.