Paddington’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Michael Bond, Karen Jankel and R.W. Alley (+ a holiday blog break)

December 19, 2025December 18, 2025 ~ jama ~ 31 Comments

Ho Ho Ho and Fa la la!

What better way to celebrate Christmas than with our favorite bear from Darkest Peru? Paddington’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Michael Bond, Karen Jankel, and R.W. Alley (HarperCollins, 2025) was just released in September and as far as we’re concerned, any new Paddington picture book is a special gift.

This story was actually first published in 1988 as Paddington’s Magical Christmas (art by David McKee), and then in 1993 (art by John Lobban). Now for this recently revised edition, longtime and current Paddington illustrator R.W. Alley has created brand new pen-and-ink and watercolor spreads that fairly sing from the pages with energy and pizzazz.

So what is dear Paddington up to this time?

One day while writing Christmas cards he overhears Mrs Bird singing — unusual in itself, but even more surprising since it was about her true love sending her a partridge in a pear tree. What a great idea! Wish he’d thought of it since he needs a special present for the Browns. But when he checks the garden, there’s not a pear tree or partridge in sight.

He then hears Mrs Brown singing that her true love had sent four calling birds, three French hens and two turtledoves — and another partridge in a pear tree. Paddington hurries outside again, only to find none of these things anywhere. What is going on?

And that’s not the end of it. Next, Judy breaks out in song. What was she given? Everything Mrs Brown received plus five gold rings! Wow! The Browns’ friend must be very rich to be able to afford so many presents.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

April 1, 2025October 16, 2025 ~ jama ~ 11 Comments

1. April Come She Will: Nothing lifts the spirit and fills the heart with hope like Spring. Flower buds on trees, daffodils abloom, enchanting greening of the land.

Enjoy some of UK artist Lucy Grossmith’s lovely paintings which showcase the delicate beauty of nature in exquisite detail.

Lucy grew up in the Lincolnshire countryside and now lives and works in Suffolk, England. She’s always been surrounded and inspired by nature and enjoys walking outdoors, where she sketches and makes mental notes of flora, fauna, colors, textures, and weather conditions – all ingredients for her work.

She paints with acrylics on canvas or textured paper, focusing on gardens, wildlife, countryside, and coastal landscapes. I like the soft, feminine feel to her pictures and immersing myself in her idyllic scenes which seem to say, relax and stay awhile. 🙂

For more, visit Lucy’s Official Website, “Heart to Art,” where you can purchase original paintings and prints. Greeting cards are also available online via several different sites, including Orchard Cards and House of Cards. Keep current with her Instagram.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

December 3, 2024August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 16 Comments

1. Hello, December! How quickly you’ve arrived. As we anticipate snowy days and frosty nights, we’re dreaming of snuggling up in a cozy cottage with a warm cuppa and a good book. UK mixed media and collage artist Kate Brazier will transport us to the beautiful countryside with her lovely pictures. 🙂

Originally from Devon, Kate now works from her home studio in Worcestershire. She studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Hereford College of Arts and briefly worked for a Birmingham art gallery.

She’s inspired by the rolling hills and villages around her, and her pieces reflect her keen interest in light, color and texture. I love the delicacy of detail and feelings of peace and harmony her scenes evoke. Idyllic!

To see more of her art, visit her Instagram, Facebook, and Etsy Shop. Check out these bio links to purchase originals, prints, greeting cards, and cross stitch kits.

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[festive review + recipe] Paddington’s Christmas Post by Michael Bond and R.W. Alley (+ a holiday blog break)

December 19, 2023November 6, 2025 ~ jama ~ 18 Comments

Remember how exciting it was to receive snail mail when you were little? Well, the 70-something resident Paddingtons are over the moon because recently somebear sent them a very special holiday book. Let the merrymaking begin! 🙂

Paddington’s Christmas Post, based on the original stories by Michael Bond and illustrated by R.W. Alley (HarperCollins UK, 2022), is a fun and festive interactive novelty picture book and a companion to Paddington’s Post (2019). It contains five envelopes for eager munchkins to open, as they read about Paddington doing his beary best to help the Browns get ready for Christmas.

As the story opens, Paddington hurries over to Portobello Market to see all the wonderful Christmas decorations and visit Mr Gruber. Over a steaming mug of cocoa, Paddington sadly tells him that he doesn’t have enough money to buy special Christmas gifts, even though he’d been saving up.

Wise Mr Gruber reminds him that there’s a lot of truth in the old saying, “It’s the thought that counts.” This gives Paddington a great idea.

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nine cool things on a tuesday

October 3, 2023August 22, 2025 ~ jama ~ 22 Comments

1. It’s Octo-boo-ber! Come join this friendly autumnal gathering courtesy of children’s book author-illustrator Naoko Stoop. You may know her as the creator of the Red Knit Cap Girl picture books — see her up there with her woodland friends?

Originally from Japan, Naoko now lives and works in Brooklyn. Her favorite mediums are pastel, pencil, watercolor, gouache and acrylic, though during the pandemic she started to draw more and more digitally. She paints on used paper grocery bags and leftover plywood from a speaker factory in her neighborhood. She has loved art since childhood and is entirely self taught.

Inspired by everyday life, her mottos are “Stay authentic. Stay at your finest.” I enjoy following her on FB; her pictures are true to her description of being “cozy and comfy art therapy,” and I like the gentle innocence and sweet animals. Her intention is to “bring out the five-year-old in people” through her artwork.