It's a riot!

I think this one is going to be a party of tiny stories that have made my week... Interesting. A blog riot!

I have a hole in the back of my shorts. I've had them for years... And I mean years. I bought them in 2003. Yeah. Old. (And you know how really good demin lasts and lasts and lasts? These aren't good denim) First they were jeans, then got a tear so I cut them off into tiny shorts. And the thing with these shorts (and alot of my clothing, actually) is that I'll stop wearing them, because of said innapropriate holes, and one day, I'll forget. So I'll put them on, thinking, why on earth do I never wear these anymore? They are the most comfortable shorts ever! And about 3/4 through the day I'll realise, and (out loud, mind you) exclaim, Oh, that's why!.
But I refuse to throw them out.

I've been researching an illustrator from the 1920-30's, W. Heath Robinson. I first saw his work on the Antiques Roadshow (words cannot explain how much I love that show) and I fell in love with him right away.
At college we have to do an assignment where we take inspiration from an artist (we were given a full page 12pt list of artists to choose from) and give a presentation, and create two works inspired by the artist.
I was really worried about it because I couldn't decide on who I would do it on. So I thought outside the box and have been researching Robinson. My goodness, he is incredible. The images are his work.
He did alot of illustration work for Hans Andersons book of Fairy Tales, as well as images for Kipling and a whole bunch of others. I am smitten.

Yesterday I saw one of my friends who is visiting from Japan. It was so lovely to see him again, and it was fun. We went back to this old antique store that I used to go to all the time. (It was on the way to my work, and I did get an amazing bucket of full peacock feathers once for $20. And I'm talking, I could only just fit my arms around the bundle. It probably made my year). So we went back there, and I tell you, it is even more amazing than I remember it. There were mountains of brilliant old clocks, and some of the best antique furniture you will see in a long time. (Mind you, it is in a massive old warehouse, so anything you get will have to be cleaned. Intensely). But in there (which I will have to go back soon, with mountains of money, and a car, and come out with brilliant, brilliant things) I found a book by Lawrence Durrell!

Side note, for those of you who don't know who Lawrence Durrell is, he is the writer brother of Gerald Durrell, of My Family and Other Animals, which is the funniest book I have ever read, and up in the top ten favorites. Totally excited at that, may have seemed a little too weird.
Anyway, we got onto the topic of old books, and Lewk (said friend) told me he had bought a few first edition something or others (I can't for the life of me remember who they were by) for an old girlfriend, and as the story goes, they ended up falling off the face of the earth. I almost had a heart attack. Give them to me! I'll have them!
But they were gone. I may or may not have had tears in my eyes.

I did get some amazing books, and two little framed pictures of the ballet, which at first look like miniature Degas, but on closer inspection aren't impressionistic.
It was a wonderful week. And again on the topic oh Heath Robinson, Look at his contraption illustrations, they are delightful!

Be off, my loves, and find me those first editions!