book(ish) review: amazing animal facts postcards by maja säfström

This review is a little different! It's not exactly a book review, but it's not exactly not one, either. Confused yet?

Awhile back I fell in love with Maja Säfström's book, The Illustrated Compendium of Animal Facts. So, for a couple of reasons, I jumped at the chance to check out her Amazing Animal Facts postcard set! First off, the postcards contained within are based off the aforementioned book, which I loved. Also, I had the fun idea of framing some of the postcards for the twins' nursery and/or our kiddos' playroom. Perfect way to see these cute, quirky illustrations and fun facts all the time!

Well, after looking through this postcard set, I was not disappointed and I definitely plan to frame some of the cards for the nursery. I really like the keepsake setup of the box, and the fact that the black-and-white postcards are colorable. The material they're printed on is sturdy, but perfect for coloring. I'm not sure whether I'll go that route or if I'll just mat them with bright colors to make them pop. Either way, Avery is going to love looking at the different animals, and the twins will, too, later on!

(I think the owls are my favorite.)

I highly recommend checking out these cute postcards from a really great artist. Especially if you have kiddos--they'd love looking through all the amazing animals!

For more on Maja Säfström, her artwork, and her books, check out these links:

• @MajasBok Instagram
• More Info
• Author Bio

**Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all opinions are my own!

book review: the illustrated compendium of amazing animal facts by maja säfström.

Oh, my goodness. I love. This. Book. The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts by Maja Säfström combines three things I love: animals, seemingly random facts, and whimsical, quirky illustrations. I knew as soon as I spotted this baby, it had to be mine.

This book is simple and sweet. It is what it says it is--a collection of animal illustrations and facts. Some are odd. Some are surprising. They're all great. I've included a few snaps of some of my favorites below, but you'll have to check the book out yourself to get the full effect!

Aww. How cute is ^ that?!

Whoa. Never would have guessed it.

Heh! The mob! I love it.

Yer a wizard, armadillo!

The illustrations in this book are exactly what I had hoped they'd be--beautiful, cute, and quirky all at the same time. And the text is never boring--the amazing animal facts suck you in, and the funny animal commentary and little jokes are icing on the cake! This book is geared toward people of any age, but I can totally foresee curling up with my daughter and this baby (when she's old enough not to rip paper pages) and spending lots of time poring over the pictures and fascinating tidbits.

I highly recommend checking out Maja's Instagram, which I'm sharing below along with some other handy dandy links:

• @MajasBok Instagram
• More Info
• Author Bio

**Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all opinions are my own!

book review: pop painting by camilla d'errico.

Art inspiration! Art techniques! A beautiful cover! I couldn't resist taking a look at Pop Painting by Camilla d'Errico. Lately I have been actively seeking out insight and instruction from other artists online and in book form, so this was a natural choice. Camilla's art style is different from my own, and well beyond my abilities, but the tips on techniques, art supplies and materials, and setting up your studio are still totally pertinent and helpful to me as a fledgling wannabe-illustrator.

First off, I love the images of Camilla's art throughout the book. Her work is uniquely beautiful, surreal, and dreamlike. The paintings shown through the book are quite stunning to look at.

Aside from showcasing Camilla's work, her book also delves into tips and tricks, painting and art techniques, tools and materials, art studio setup, and getting into art professionally. It's a well-rounded look into all these aspects of being an artist, and it's fairly extensive. I love getting an artist's perspective on her craft and her business. This book is right on topic for me and right up my alley!


Want to know more about Camilla and her lovely art? Visit these handy dandy links:

• More Info
• Author Bio

If you're not an artist or not looking for art techniques or tips, but you find Camilla's artwork to be beautiful and intriguing, I'd recommend taking a look at this baby just to see all the beautiful paintings!

**Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all opinions are my own!

My favorite picture books of 2015.

This has been a great year for picture books! I've loved a great many of them, but sadly haven't had time to read as many of this year's offerings as I would have liked. That said, a few have stood out to me over the course of 2015, and so I'm sharing those today as the year's end draws near.

Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson

I love me a good dark, whimsical, lightly irreverent children's book. This one is a great one. With its expressive, retro-stylized illustrations, this tale of a lonely ghost finding longed-for companionship manages to treat a spooky and sad concept with just the right light touch.

Home by Carson Ellis

I love, love, love this book. It is a great source of inspiration to me. Carson Ellis's artwork and illustrations are as enchanting as her famous husband's songwriting (Colin Meloy à la The Decemberists). Her illustrations are quirky, old-fashioned, folksy, earthy-yet-fanciful watercolors in exquisite color schemes. Through minimalist text that manages to be both wry and dreamy, too, Ellis invites the reader to thoughtfully consider the concept of home. Beautiful. I can't praise it enough. Perfect for children with intense and sophisticated imaginations or adults who appreciate old-fashioned, thoughtful whimsy.

What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night by Refe Tuma & Susan Tuma

Move over, Elf on the Shelf. Dinovember is WAY cooler. Without surveillance state undertones or preachy lessons, the idea of your toy dinos wreaking havoc in your house while you sleep is whimsical and giggle-inducing. This book, written by the very parents who began the Dinovember concept with their own lucky kiddos, documents the dinosaurs in their illicit escapades. Pure, silly fun that truly appeals to kids. I recently read it to kindergartners and they ate it up, much like a dinosaur will eat up cheesy puffs. 

So, there you have it--my favorite picture books of 2015. What were your favorite books of 2015--picture books or otherwise?