Jane Cumberbatch Inspiration

image via barnesandnoble.com

Many years a go I stumbled across the book, Pure Style Living, by Jane Cumberbatch. This book helped change my life. The ideas that she presents are so simple, but so meaningful when it comes to a living a simple yet meaningful life. My local library would proabably appreciate it if I bought the book one of these days as I've checked it out so many times.

Some of the chapter names are: Eat, Work, Garden, Rest, Play, Wash, Sleep.

Ms. Cumberbatch talks about the importance of good food, working in the soil, a comfortable bed with good quality sheets and other great things like that. She also talks about the importance of Nature, Smell, Texture, Architecture, Function, Order, Fabric and Colour. (Which reminds me, Why do Americans not use the "U" when spelling "Color"? It seems so nice with the "U".)

Anyway, I think Americans many times have traded quality for quantity and it hasn't done us any good. We have given up healthy, savory food for fast, easy and often tastless food. We are overweight for eating food that maybe wasn't even worth it. We live in big crazy houses filled with lots of things that really aren't paid for. We buy more plastic totes to store things in without really considering if we love the things we put in them.

Less is truly so often more. The quality of the blankets we sleep under maybe is what really matters, not so much the number of blankets we have stored in the hall closet.

Imagine my total delight when I found out Jane Cumberbatch has a youtube web channel?
It's like she's giving me my own personal design and living tips! It looks like she's just getting started, but I'll be tuning in for future video posts!

I think I'll have to go to the library and check out her book again soon - maybe it's time for a refresher course on PureStyle Living.

Counting with my boys

Little Golden Books have been around since the 1940s.
The were staples of my childhood as they were for so many others. Having my own children has provided me with a great excuse to read them all over again. I've always thought the art work in so many of the books was beautiful. Apparently the art world is acknowledging some of the art as well. Although I doubt I will be able to attend the exhibit I can still share the books with my boys.
The newest Little Golden Book we are enjoying at our house in My First Counting Book by Lilian Moore, pictures by Garth Williams. The baby animals and their surroundings are beautiful and the simple rhymes are fun for both me and the boys. If you haven't read it in a while I highly recommend it!

Reading Material

I recently stumbled across a wonderful children's book. Not only does my four year old son seem to like it, but I enjoy reading it as well. The stories are entertaining but in a calm sort of way that seems to be perfect for bedtime. The stories are not too long and not too short. James Herriot uses words that an adult appreciates and is a perfect introduction for a four year old to more advanced language. There are stories about cats, dogs and horses and beautiful illustrations.

I appreciate Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry...to the fullest degree, but I've been on the look out for some books that weren't quite so lively and a bit longer for easing into the night-time mode.
We're also enjoying some children's poetry anthologies and the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel. I'm trying to think back to age appropriate chapter books that I can reread or even read for the first time. I'm really looking forward to reading some more of these great children's books!