| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2009 9:20 pm |
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Turn back the clock with vintage nursery decorations Once upon a time, the ideal nursery was a cozy haven in restful colors, filled with sturdy push-pull toys, handmade dolls and stuffed bears that were destined to be lifelong companions. We came across these ideas that we thought might help create that old-fashioned children's retreat.“Look, Spot! Look and see... .” For many grown-ups, Indiana schoolteacher Zerna Sharp's wholesome world of Dick, Jane, Spot and the rest was a comforting hallmark of childhood reading. And for a new generation of parents who didn't grow up with the books, it's the fun, retro vibe of the illustrations that makes them perfectly hip wall decor. Children's book art, especially vintage examples, can be a relatively inexpensive way to add a special touch to a room. Denise Myers of Tagnwag.com collected a number of early primers — including many “Dick and Jane” books — and wanted to give them an even longer life. She sells matted 8-by-10-inch pages, ready to frame, in $32 sets of four, or singly for about $10. There's something about the illustrations in childhood books that strikes a chord: When the Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences in Peoria, Ill., hung 50 of Eleanor Campbell's original illustrations from the “Dick and Jane” series, curators were unprepared for what happened next. “ ‘Dick and Jane' had such an emotional impact on our visitors that we had it up longer than any other temporary exhibit ever,” museum spokeswoman Kathleen Woith said. For those interested in early children's book art, look for reproductions of work by Kate Greenaway, John Tenniel (of “Alice in Wonderland” fame), Maude Humphrey (“Mother Goose”), Randolph Caldecott (Christmas books), Bessie Pease Gutmann and N.C. Wyeth, who was Andrew's father and illustrated the Robert Louis Stevenson classics. Try eBay for vintage pieces, or for inexpensive reproductions in poster form, Art.com has a large selection, including Babar books, Tintin, King Arthur and “The 1940 Boys' Book of Heroes.” Prices run between $10 and $50, and the site will custom frame them if desired. Ernest Shepard's illustrations for A.A. Milne's “Winnie-the-Pooh” books make delightful additions to a child's room. A 1926 first edition sells for about $2,500 at rare bookstores. But for free, you can download images on Keith Mander's Web site, Just-Pooh.com, and frame them yourself. Several of Dr. Seuss' well-known characters, including Horton and the Cat in the Hat, are available framed at PBKids.com through a partnership between the retailer and the Seuss Foundation. Search for used or remaindered books and frame the covers or favorite pages. Spray mount the pictures on card stock, or fit them in a ready-made mat, then frame. Sh-h-h-h-h Some parents want to lower the volume on tech toys in their children's environment. Not surprisingly, many of the designers and retailers responding to this trend are parents themselves. When Atlanta couple Jim and Erica Lancaster had their first child 14 years ago, “our house began to fill with plastic and electronic toys. Erica Lancaster, who had worked on The Nature Company's toy development team, envisioned a collection that updated familiar classics; Jack Rabbit Creations was born. Their jack-in-the-boxes feature characters like Fifi the poodle and Spots the bunny; there are knitted toys, big fleecy jingle balls and old-fashioned tin lunchboxes. Melissa and Doug Bernstein have built a toy empire in Wilton, Conn., around that sentiment. Parents stock up on Melissa and Doug peg pounders, sorters, blocks and puppets toys that could have been found in a child's room half a century ago. “Five-year-olds are receiving iPods as gifts, and 3-year-olds are playing video games. Imagination and the ability to innovate come when the brain can engage in open-ended creativity,” Melissa Bernstein said. Lisa Lowe of Long Beach, Calif., puts out the SugarBooger collection, which includes closet dividers in themes like Nursery Rhyme and Campground, complete with sticker sets to help organize. Her Yummy Kitchen and Gingham melamine tray sets are charming, as is the beechwood kitty rattle. Californians Heather Hamda and Linda Suh of Cloud B studio developed a collection of plush toys, some with nightlights, to soothe restless babies. Gentle sounds like rain and whale song emanate from the soft bodies of giraffes, dolphins and sheep; you can set the sounds on a timer. Turtles and ladybugs project a starry sky on the ceiling, and a Labrador retriever smells like soothing lavender. The line has been popular among Hollywood celebrities. Nora Neiterman, a New York-based textile artist, creates juvenile designs for retailers like Target. Her color palette runs to “white, soft green and accents of vegetable colors.” ToysRUs has launched a line of nursery decor called Little Boutique. Vintage-style switchplates, frames, wall art and storage are attractively priced, and a leafy tree decal is simple yet chic. “We connect with the past when we share it with our children,” said Deanna Campbell, who runs myretrobaby.com, offering toys and decor that evoke a range of bygone decades. |
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