tollipop

and the winner is...

 
Simone!  To be specific, the lovely Simone who said: I've got two little girls who would squeal with sheer delight if these prints arrived in the post from the other side of the world. 

Congratulations, Simone darling!  We are thrilled for you and your girls...the Tollipop goody bag will soon be on its way, filled with an assortment of sweet originals and darling prints.  How fun.  I hope you will enjoy it!  Please let's get in touch soon to exchange mailing addresses and the like.

To everyone else...thank you for playing along!  Thank you for your enthusiasm and support of this giveaway.  I so appreciated your help in sharing Tollipop a little further out into the world.  We will definitely do a goody bag giveaway again.

In lieu of the prize, I wish you a table in a cozy corner of your favorite restaurant.  The food is exquisite, there is lovely music in the background, and you are with someone you care for deeply.  You are seated by a window which looks out onto a darkened street filled with old, narrow shops: a bakery, a used bookstore, a tiny market, a curio shoppe which sells artifacts from all over the world.  After dinner, you and your friend venture into this shop.  It is dusty, odd, and filled with wonders...like an attic belonging to a mysterious great aunt. 

Tucked away behind a jade carving of a miniature Taj Mahal, you notice a box tied with a faded ribbon.  It is small and practically insignificant, yet you can't help yourself from picking it up.  The box opens to reveal a smooth, round pearl.  As you marvel over its milky luminescence, a live scene reveals itself upon the surface of the pearl.  It is somewhere marvelous, somewhere exotic, somewhere you have always wanted to be.  And as you gaze upon the pearl, you are suddenly transported through time and space to the scene you are observing. 

Your friend may come with you, too. 

And to return?  Simply place the pearl in your other hand and gaze upon a scene from home, which will readily reveal itself to you. 

It's really that easy, darling.

school chums

 
Dear reader, I realize I did not end the goody bag giveaway today as promised.  I hope this doesn't teach you the same lesson I fear my children are sometimes learning: that despite what I say, I do not always mean business. 

Because I do mean business.  I did mean to wrap up the giveaway according to schedule.  But there was an unforeseen hijacking of our afternoon today and it simply did not lend itself to me being in the vicinity of a computer.   

But pictured above is an (as yet unfinished) sample of what will be going into the goody bag.  An original painting of two rabbits.  School chums, actually.  The kind who love sharp pencils and fresh paper and new, precise erasers.  The kind who pack such lunches!  Pretty paper doilies, a pitcher of cream, fresh raspberries, a generous wedge of date crumble, an assortment of radishes all carved into the busts of favorite authors. 

And there is no lolly-gagging on the way to school!  Dear me, but they walk briskly.  However, they do manage to keep up a steady conversation the entire time.  And it generally has something to do with the contents of their lunchboxes, with the speculation as to whether the new girl will wear her French bonnet, and if the schoolmaster truly intends, as promised, to award a prize for the neatest penmanship, and what on earth such a prize could possibly be. 

At any rate, dear reader, I am wishing you a lovely weekend.  And I am hoping I will wrap up the giveaway at some point during that time.  But let's not get too excited about the notion of my credibility.  It has a way of taking leave of absence without giving me the least bit of notice. 

It is really very cheeky that way. 

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p.s.  Thank you for all your sweet and empathetic comments on yesterday's post.  As Izzy would say, I felt the love.  And it was greatly appreciated.

hold me

 
I was thinking of this stage of motherhood the other day.  The stage when your child seems very needy.  And your arms feel very tired.  It's generally not so much a stage as it is perhaps a time of day.  Nap time.  Or time for a nap time. 

Or teething time.  Or under the weather time.  Or I don't want anyone else to hold me but you time...a stage which lasted almost a year with Izzy.  A stage which still causes me to wake up at night, covered in cold sweats.   

Anyway.  What a busy week this has been.  It's actually not been especially more demanding schedule-wise, but I think we are all lagging, all a bit unravelled.  It's just that time of year, isn't it? 

Isn't it? 

I let the two older girls sleep in this morning and took them to school later with the world's nuttiest note of excuse:

Please excuse Sophie and Isabella from school this morning.  They awoke feeling rather poorly but have since rallied and are ready to make a go of it.   

I signed it "Sincerely" and added my phone number, in case someone wanted to call and see if I was for real. 

Caroline and I walked to school, as usual.  These days, as we cross to the sunny side of the street, we actually sing the song.  It makes us ridiculously happy. 

Anyway...back to the picture.  I'm looking at it and oddly enough, I don't identify with the mother.  I feel more like the child.  I just feel a bit worn out, a bit not in the mood to be running the show.  Nothing major, mind you.  But I do wish I could climb into someone's lap right now.

Just for a second.

grab your coat and get your hat

 
One of my favorite moments of the day is walking Caroline to school.  We hold hands, I hold her knapsack, and we talk the entire time.  Well, she mainly talks.  I mainly listen. 

 
We always cross over to the sunny side of the street.  Once I told her there was a song about that and now, every morning as we cross the street, she asks me to sing it to her.  If my mom were here, she'd know the song.  I, on the other hand, need to google some lyrics.

Thanks to this post, I just did.

 
I guess I will try singing it to her tomorrow.

 
Especially if it's a sunny day. 

 
Which, given the nature of this town, places the odds squarely in my favor.

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Dear reader, a note about the giveaway...thank you for your enthusiastic response!  And perhaps I did not clarify, but you may enter your name for each and every promotion you make.  So if you Twitter and mention the giveaway on your blog, for example, then feel free to enter your name two extra times. 

If you evangelize about Tollipop on the street corner, one extra entry.  If you hire an airplane and spell the word Tollipop in the sky, by all means drop your name into the hat again.  If you run across the football field at halftime on Super Bowl Sunday, stark naked, with the word Tollipop painted on your body, I will be rendered speechless.  But definitely count that as an extra entry.

At any rate, does this make sense?  I don't want to get too complicated.

Also, I will leave the contest up and running until Friday.  Mainly to give myself time to actually make a goody bag.  Your faith and enthusiasm in the potential of this prize is making me slightly nervous, I will admit.  So I'd better get busy...

tollipop goody bag giveaway

 
Dear reader, are we really at Friday?  Someone please let me know.  I hope your week was lovely, I hope your weekend will be even better.

This little giveaway is something new for me.  The prize?  Well, it's a goody bag.  I'm not even sure what the contents will be at this point, but I have it on good authority they will be a delight. 

For starters, it will include prints of Lucy and Clementine.  The rest is a surprise.

Here is something new as well, inspired by the lovely Candace of Sparkle Power.  To enter, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post.  However, if you would care to mention this giveaway on your Facebook or Twitter account (or blog, for that matter), you may come back and leave another entry saying you did (thus increasing your chances of winning). 

As you may have noticed, there are now Facebook and Twitter links located conveniently at the bottom of each post. 

I don't know...it seems like a fun idea.  It's been on my mind how precious little I've been doing to promote my work lately.  I hope this twist makes the giveaway more exciting while also spreading Tollipop a bit further out into the world.

Anyway...goody bags.  When is the last time you received one?  Please drop your name in the hat, dear reader, because this is one surprise treat you don't want to miss...

at the table

 
Having my little brother come to visit is always terrific.  We did everything I put on my list and more.  Well, we didn't actually discover any new types of candy, but we did eat about a zillion Hi Chews and had a very serious discussion on the merits of our favorite chocolate. 

{I believe it's Cadbury's for me, dear reader.  Yes, I'm aware of the likes of Ritter Sport and Mejii and Milka and Lindt.  But, by George, if it's good enough to bear the official seal of HRH, then it's jolly well good enough for me, too! }

On Sunday, he made an amazing dinner.  And I made the girls set the table.  I don't know why they can't look happier while setting the table.  It certainly makes me happy to watch them.  It really does.  Table setting is such a pleasant memory, almost a ritual, from my childhood...perhaps someday they'll feel that way, too.

 
They still have time to inherit my love of dishes, of linens, of music, of candlelight. 

 
Of food so beautiful it deserves its own picture.

 
Of a table surrounded by some of my favorite guests...and everyone happy and hungry, with many good things to eat. 

 
It just doesn't get any better than this.

a colossal bloom fell from the sky on caroline's way to worship

 
Dear reader, nothing quite says reverence like a flower one-third the size of one's head, don't you think? 

How is your weekend coming along?  Ours has been very nice, filled with family, friends, and food.  Heavy on laughter.  Light on housework.  In other words: my kind of ratio.

 
Infused with the presence of this little miss.  Just don't tell her she's little.

The weather has been beautiful...sunny with an achingly clear blue sky.  Yesterday I drew a girl and when it came time to paint her dress, nothing could stop my brush from dipping itself into that same irresistible shade.

 
Sometimes I think I should just give in to my strange predilection and paint this girl over and over again, wearing the same blue dress.  Why not? 

It's basically what I already do.

and the winner is...

 
Maureen!  Congratulations, Maureen darling!  You are the winner of the sweetest party girl ever to come onto the scene, Miss Lucy Higgins.  We are thrilled for you here at Tollipop.  Do let's get in touch and exchange addresses so Lucy can be on her way to your house to demand a new piece of cake. 

To everyone else, thank you for playing along!  I am writing in a bit of a rush, as my sweet niece is at my elbow and quickly losing interest in the fascinations of blogging. 

But I do want to wish you, in lieu of the prize, a fabulous piece of cake.  Your very favorite, of course, and this one is to be decorated with a little girl sitting in a big, cozy chair.  She is reading a book.  And the pages really turn, and upon each page is written a story which captivates, enchants, and enthralls.  If you listen closely, you will hear the crackling of a fire in the fireplace, even though you can't quite see it. 

And just by gazing upon the cake you will feel safe and happy, and lost in a world all of your own.

Wishing you a lovely weekend.  xo

thinking ahead

 
Dear reader, how is your weekend shaping up?  Mine is going to be busy.  And lovely. 

Didn't you know?  Busy is the new lovely.

 
For starters, I will be spending it with my niece.  The one who can inhale seven clementines within ten minutes of coming through the door, then ask me to peel her another one.  Plus a banana while I'm at it. 

It's going to be just me and her.  And honestly, even though she's pretty little, that girl is some of the best company around.  She's darling, funny, smart, and opinionated.  I love her to bits.  And we're going to have fun.  I hope it will be one of those days she'll always remember, having her auntie all to herself.  I wonder if three-year-olds can remember stuff like that? 

 
Also, my little brother is coming to visit!  And I know we'll do all kinds of fun things, too...like eat something awesome, discover and rave about new candy, talk about movies, play some volleyball, laugh about the dumbest stuff.  It doesn't get any better than that.

This is the Christmas gift he gave me...a silhouette made by his fabulous friend, a girl named Jennifer who sounds like just the sort of friend I would love to have, too. 

As you may imagine, every time I pass by this little scene, I stop (at least in my head) and exclaim over it with pleasure.  I love a little mystery.  I love a little intrigue.

 
In fact, here is a real-life mystery we may all consider.  The clues are as follows:

1) In anticipation of my brother's arrival, I purchased one of his favorite chocolate bars.

2) Last night I came home from a run and suddenly realized I was starving to death. 

3) Jonny's chocolate bar was on the table and it was calling to me. 

4) Even I'm not sure what happened after that... 

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If you are so inclined, there's still time to enter this week's giveaway!  Please do drop your name in the hat, darling...I will return to announce the winner tomorrow. 

a bit of earth

 
Dear reader, have you ever wanted to look out the window and be greeted by the sight of a rolling hill with a tangle of heather and a sturdy old ewe grazing along the hedgerow? 

I have.

 
Have you ever wondered if fairies dwell in the forests...well, perhaps not truly wonder, but do you enjoy the thought of truly wondering?

 
Have you ever dreamed of a cake glass no bigger than a thimble in which to keep a wee patch of moss?

 

Have you ever wanted a bit of earth to call your own?

 
If so, then you, too, should make a terrarium. 

You should make loads of them!  You should make so many terrariums you have to stick them in the bathtub for safekeeping...and when a note comes home from school about the neglected state of your children, you should shrug and decide it's for a good cause the family can no longer take a bath. 

And to justify your burgeoning obsession you should tell yourself won't these make lovely gifts?, but when it comes time to actually part with one, who do you suppose will have a dickens of a time?!

{Catherine, if you happen to be reading this, here is the prezzie I was telling you about.  Merry Christmas, darling.  I promise I'll give it to you someday soon...} 

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In case you are interested, I purchased the terrarium with the sheep as a kit from the lovely Shelley at BuyDisOrDat.  And every time I pass it by, I come closer and gaze in wonder at the tiny world before me.  Whether there are fairies living in the woods or not, there is something magical about terrariums. 

There is something magical about a bit of earth.