1. It’s Poetry Month, so why not celebrate with a cool handmade magnet by Robyn Hood Black of artsyletters? This beauty with the one and only Edgar Allan Poe features an authentic postage stamp issued to commemorate Poe’s 200th birthday in 2009. It’s collaged onto a 2″ x 2″ painted canvas board with a magnetic disc on the back. Imagine Poe’s eyes following you from the fridge! 🙂

Nevermore for Poe? How about a lovely Emily Dickinson magnet, which features an 8 cent stamp issued in 1971?

I also love this OOAK Found Poem mixed media/collage piece. The image is from the May 2015 issue of Woman’s World, and features a lovely lady from a 1915 talcum powder advertisement. Two vintage topaz-colored glass hearts dangle from the bottom of the fancy vintage dark bronze color metal frame made in Italy. There’s a chain attached to the back for easy hanging.

Read more about these items and check out all the other goodies at artsyletters (gift packs, bookmarks, cards, prints, jewelry, etc.). Treat a poetry loving friend (or yourself) to a special gift this month!

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2. New Book Alert: Today is official release day for Terrific Tongues! by Maria Gianferrari and Jia Liu (Boyds Mills Press, 2018)!

This fascinating and whimsical nonfiction picture book uses humorous comparisons and playful artwork to teach children the unusual ways that a variety of animals–from woodpeckers to snakes to bats–use their tongues to find food, eat, and clean themselves.

In this nonfiction picture book, kids will learn about the woodpecker, which uses its tongue to burrow for insects under tree bark; the okapi, which can wash its face and ears with its tongue; and the octopus, which uses its tongue to drill holes in shells. Through debut illustrator Jia Liu’s bright, playful collage artwork, readers can imagine what it would be like to have a tongue like a sword, like a straw, or like a party blower, among many other silly and illuminating comparisons. The back matter expands on each animal tongue’s unique abilities and includes information about other fun tongues, too.

Sounds like a fun book on a fascinating subject. Washing your face and ears with your tongue is quite a feat, and I admit I wouldn’t mind having a tongue like a straw: efficient and ecologically responsible. 🙂 Can’t wait to see this book!

Happy Pub Day, Maria and Jia!

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3. Another New Book Alert: Book 3 in the wildly popular Jasmine Toguchi chapter book series is officially out today! Welcome to the world Jasmine Toguchi, Drummer Girl by Debbi Michiko Florence and Elizabet Vukovic (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2018):

 

I loved Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen and Jasmine Toguchi, Super Sleuth and can’t wait to read this one!

* Check out the special Jasmine Toguchi Swag Bag Drawing!

 

For a chance to win all these goodies, simply email a copy/photo of your sales receipt for Drummer Girl to: jasminetoguchibooks (at) gmail (dot) com by April 25, 2018. Earn an extra entry by sharing your Amazon review link on social media.

Happy Pub Day, Debbi and Elizabet!!

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4. I don’t know about you, but I am wildly excited about the upcoming royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. I think the entire world is craving a happy occasion for a change. When it comes to breathtakingly beautiful pageantry you can’t beat the British, and this time the bride is American. WooHoo!

Why not feed your anticipation with a Harry and Meghan Coloring Book or Paper Doll set? Oh, how I love to play . . .

Here’s the Harry and Meghan: A Love Story Coloring Book by Yorkshire artist Teresa Goodridge (Dover, 2018):

Their love captivated the world — now the royal romance will inspire your imagination! The engagement of dashing Prince Harry of Wales and beautiful American actress Meghan Markle made headlines and their wedding in May of 2018 is sure to do the same. You can be part of the excitement with 30 beautiful and ready-to-color illustrations that capture the magic of their heartwarming love affair. Plus, the pages are perforated for easy removal and display.

And here’s the Royal Wedding: Harry and Meghan Paper Dolls set (Random House — release date April 10, 2018):

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to marry at Windsor Castle in May 2018. With these paper dolls, you can cut them out and dress them up in their engagement outfits, the camping outfits they might have worn while hanging out in Botswana, what they might wear to a glamorous Hollywood party, the unicorn onesies we’re sure they wear at home in their cottage, and, of course, what they might wear on the big wedding day itself! Mix and match their outfits as you learn more about their whirlwind romance!

So fun! Both items are nice commemoratives for royal watchers of any age. Pip pip and Cheerio!

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5. I know, I know. We’re just about mid-way through and I can hear your tummy rumblings. Food, you must have food! Do I know you, or what? 🙂

So, I happily present this: A Cheeseburger Made Entirely Out of Cheese created by Tastemade. Perfectly logical, so much so, I wonder why no one had thought of it before — and there’s an ultimate purpose to this dairy overload besides clever appearance — wait till the end to see what it is:

Now, THAT’S what I call cheesy fries. 😀

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6. Pottery Fix: I’m in love with Hogben Pottery! Handmade in the UK, each piece is individual and unique. The colors are just luscious: cream, eau-de-nil, pink, denim blue. grey or primrose. There are a variety of decorations that are hand sculpted, hand painted, and then applied to the pottery (choose from mugs in two sizes and jugs in three sizes).

Dog lovers will be happy to see there are dalmatians, golden retrievers, black labs, fox terriers, and jack russells. Other sweet decorations include strawberry, pansy, sheep, hen, cat and leaping hare.

I’m attracted to the blissful simplicity of this line — lovely, understated, a bit whimsical and classy. You know you’re not going to get tired of these pieces and since no two are ever exactly the same, this gives them a certain character. They do ship to the U.S. (call for quotes). See more here.

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7. I’m still thinking about Simon and Garfunkel after writing a review of When Paul Met Artie by G. Neri and David Litchfield a couple of weeks ago. Enjoyed this video of Art reading a note to his younger self as part of the CBS This Morning series “Note to Self.” Was good to hear the words of wisdom he offered at age 72.

Love the personal photos (his son was adorable), old S&G clips, and reflections on singing and fame. And did you know he’s a lefty?

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8. Mice, mice, needle felted mice. Who can resist? Recently discovered Marta Pérez-Solero’s creations at her Etsy shop OliverBrie.

Her pieces have a lot of personality and I like the little accessories that come with. Great detail and you can’t help but imagine stories for these adorable creatures. Now I just need to find a wealthy benefactor to buy me one. 😀

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9. Finally, another Poetry Month treat: check out this E. E. Cummings Quote Locket from Busy Beez and Chickadeez. “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)” is one of my fave Cummings poems, and what better way to keep this beautiful line close than in a personal locket?

The quote appears on one side, and a brass heart stamping appears on the other. There’s an ivory Czech glass bellflower and olive green leaf on the front of the locket. Pretty, no? More details here.

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For our blue song, here’s Linda Rondstadt with “Blue Bayou,” her signature song which became a big hit in 1977. What a versatile songbird! Sad that she can no longer sing because of Parkinson’s disease.

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HAPPY TUESDAY!

THINK BLUE

BE KIND

EAT PIE

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Copyright © 2018 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.