Found: the Seven Dwarfs' cottage

At last, dawn woke the forest to the song of the birds, and Snow White too, awoke. A whole world was stirring to life and the little girl was glad to see how silly her fears had been. On she walked until she came to a clearing. There stood a strange cottage, with a tiny door, tiny windows and a tiny chimney pot. Everything about the cottage was much tinier than it ought to be. Snow White pushed the door open.

"I wonder who lives here?" she said to herself, peeping round the kitchen. "What tiny plates! And spoons!" Upstairs was a bedroom with seven neat little beds. Going back to the kitchen, Snow White had an idea.

Toward dusk, seven tiny men marched homeward singing. But when they opened the door of their house, to their surprise they found a bowl of hot steaming soup on the table, and the whole house spick and span. Upstairs was Snow White, fast asleep on one of the beds.

The chief dwarf prodded her gently. "Who are you?" he asked. Snow White told them her sad story, and tears sprang into the dwarfs' eyes.

I am utterly in love with these adorable cottages from The Rustic Way, which can be fitted out as guest houses, garden sheds, saunas and children's playhouses. They are just like a fairy tale come to life, don't you think?

Adelaide insta-weekend

At the park, rain-mist and a light breeze build goosebumps up and down my arms, welcome after a sweltering yesterday. We toss a ball for Oliver until he gets so weary he runs away with it and lies down under a tree, one paw possessively on the ball and a suspicious eye on the three of us. Coffee and vintage shopping at E for Ethel, where hot drinks are served up with lines from children's storybooks; fashion lessons from a 1979 Woman's Weekly; and all kinds of "just so you know for Christmas" hints from Emily. We sit at the formica table and read our books and magazines, sip our coffees, share little stories with one another. It's a place that inspires lingering.

Later, we undertake an expedition of the thrift and antique markets at Port Adelaide. Outside, Mr B uncovers a childhood memory from more than 30 years ago. Inside, Emily indulges in a spot of face art.

A family afternoon. Fish 'n chips at the pub; dad and daughter rumbles (loud with laughter); sun bursting through clouds as we stroll back along the old port river; seagulls that swoop and catcall anyone who'll listen. Back home: a dip in the swimming pool; a hot cup of tea; silly British sitcoms from the 70s on TV; joyful games on the carpet with Ruby. Isn't she adorable?

Our lady

I walked into a church last month and it felt like a mother's arms around me. I don't even like churches, let alone grand cathedrals. But in this one, you could almost see the prayers like butterflies, floating to the heavens.The church was the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, and I couldn't have been more surprised. I entered expecting tourism and history. I discovered prayer.

Here I was warm, I was safe, I was welcome inside the arms of Our Lady. Here was peace, bubbling around me in the hushed hub-bub of hundreds of different languages. Here, a priest blessed two tourists. There, a nun taught a little group of men.

I thought, "prayers are alive." I didn't know who heard them, but I knew they were heard.

Together, we lit a candle. Our little prayer mingled with the others, dancing like the tiny flame upon which it was cast. It was answered, of course.

For the child (and childlike)

Do you have little children in your life? You really must head on over to Child's Own Studio because owner Wendy will make a soft toy straight from your child's imagination! Isn't this absolutely adorable? Alas, our two girls are too big for this, so I will have to live vicariously through your family.

All photographs from the Child's Own flickr photostream.

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Sonja of Big {Blue (print)} Ball, a blogger I've followed and admired for some time, and the winner of my book-iversary competition. This is me picking Sonja's flowers.

A big, warm thanks to everyone who entered. I promise to make the next competition even bigger and better, and to get my act into gear to give out extra prizes. Meanwhile, here's a screen shot of the random selection I used.

Update 5 Jan 2012: I made a little video to go with this post but as I am YouTube challenged, I had some problems and had to take it down. Sorry!

A Dr Faustus halloween

The clock strikes eleven. FAUSTUS: Ah Faustus, Now hast thou but one bare hour to live, And then thou must be damned perpetually. Stand still, you ever-moving spheres of heaven, That time may cease and midnight never come...

O lente, lente, currite noctis equi! ["O run slowly, slowly, horses of the night!" Ovid] The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike. The devil will come, and Faustus must be damned. O I'll leap up to my God! Who pulls me down?...

The clock striketh twelve.

It strikes, it strikes! Now body, turn to air, Or Lucifer will bear thee quick to hell!

Thunder and lightening. 

O soul, be changed to little water-drops And fall into the ocean, ne'er be found.

Enter DEVILS. Tonight's very spooky halloween brought to you by the chilling, sad and beautifully rendered 'last moments' of Doctor Faustus according to Christopher Marlowe, and these glorious 1925 illustrations of Goethe's Faust by Harry Clarke, found on 50 Watts.

Favourite things: book wormery

I'm so tired, I just want to curl up with a good book all day. But did you know you could do all these things with books, too? 1. Sniff an old book

Now I know why old books smell so darned good. Found via B for Bel (her source).

2. Read a rainbow

Random House's Vintage Classics series is turning 21, and to celebrate they've reprinted the entire collection in rainbow colours. See them all here.

3. Repurpose vintage books

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/23224441 w=525&h=295]

STC Craft Presents: The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti from STC Craft / Melanie Falick Books on Vimeo.

I love all the concepts in this video and I'm keen to try some of them. Trouble is, so far I haven't had the heart to sacrifice anything from my bookshelf (video found via Our City Lights).

4. Dine in Wonderland

I really, really want to go eat in this Alice in Wonderland restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. Discovered via B for Bel, who features twice in this post because she always finds such fabulous things.

5. Browse a bouquiniste's stall

In Paris, hundreds of independent booksellers (bouquinistes) sell under the open skies along the Seine, offering up new, used and antique books, magazines and pictures out of green metal boxes. They have been there since the 1500s, and are now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Imagine!

More street art

Street art, spotted in and around Montmartre, Paris, where art is given carte blanche. And now for some street art from New Jersey, just to even things out. (Thanks to Poppytalk for the heads up on this little video). [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/30209136 w=525&h=387]

Shepard Fairey Paints Asbury Park from Adam Worth on Vimeo.

Paris, je t'aime

Chocolate + books + ceramics + more = GIVEAWAY

I have some news. This month is my six month book-iversary, six months since Airmail was published. I'm so grateful for your support and encouragement during this time, so today I want to give something back to say thank you. I've decided to celebrate with a veritable giveaway bonanza, including a signed copy of Airmail as well as some wonderful paraphernalia collected in France and Italy, and of course mementos from my home country of Australia.

To enter: 1. Subscribe to this blog using one of the buttons on the right 2. Leave a comment below to tell me you've done so

Additional chances (+ 1 for each): 1. Get a friend to enter and make sure they credit you when leaving a comment 2. Like Airmail on Facebook and leave a comment here to let me know you have 3. Blog, Tweet, email or Facebook about this giveaway and let me know it

The booty: 1. A signed copy of Airmail 2. A ‘travelling copy’ of Airmail with the little bookplate I painted, so you can give it away, send it out, leave it behind or post it off, if you want to 3. An antique postcard from Paris 4. A piece of handmade lace from Venice 5. A wonderful little photography and art book by Riceboy Sleeps 6. Two handmade, hand painted, ceramic bowls 7. Flowers from my garden 8. A square of vintage yellow floral fabric 9. A box of deliciousness from chocolatier Haigh’s, which first opened down the road from me in 1905

All this, AND any other ephemera that I may choose to make, collect, unearth or sacrifice when I put your little package together.

Extra information: This competition is open internationally, and ends on Monday 31 October at midnight (Adelaide, Australia time). Please remember to email me if you don't leave a link in your comment, so that I can contact you if you win.

Thank you! I am continually honoured and humbled that people are reading my little book, and taking the time to tell me when they liked it. When I receive emails or comments from people who have read Airmail, they absolutely make my day. No, my week! It still blows my mind that total strangers from the other side of the world are entering my stories. If that is you, THANK YOU, friend.

Here's a link to some of those lovely comments, in case you're interested.