Incoming treasures...

I always know when something special has arrived in the mail

when I see that big square gold stamp from the UK...

 ...this is what came to me late last week from  

Valerie Greeley, illustrator, writer, book binder,painter extraordinaire..

I've been a fan of hers for years now and own several of her prints.

These three children's books are now in my ever growing collection.

Valerie's sensitivity to flora and fauna is justifiably evident in all her work.

Of course attention to detail is one of the reasons I love her work so much...

Living in the English countryside has left an impact on her.

She pays homage to things as big as an oak and as tiny as a raindrop.

The first book, 'Down the Lane' is a lovely walk through the calender year

as well as the meadows and hedgerows of her native, rural homeland...

I have one of the prints from this book...I love foxes and the face on this one just tugs at my heart..

 The second book, 'Acorns Story' is told in the style of the classic 'Who Killed Cock Robin'

but in a much more gentle and optimistic layered tale of how the mighty

oak grows from it's humble beginnings...

 Opposite the illustrations are beautifully detailed headers for the verse...

I own a print of one of the illustrations in this book as well.

It hangs in my studio...

 The third book is a second edition of a book first published in 1990...make sense?!
 (hope that's right Val!)

 Like all of the books, its printed on beautiful quality paper 

with the most vivid colours...

 

...more lovely headers in this book too...

 Here is a book of verse about colour and creature alike...

 At the end is a little educational section on all the creatures within...

 Forgive my photos for they don't portray the richness of the pages 

but it can give you an idea.

Valerie has kindly signed my books and this one in particular  is

signed for my wee nephew...

I'm sure she would be more than happy to sign a copy for you too!

 Valerie also keeps a blog, acorn moon which chronicles her

adventures through book making, illustrating, painting

and general wandering through the beautiful countryside of the UK and beyond.
You can purchase these books and prints and cards in her etsy shop here

If you're looking for that something special for a little one in your life

and, if like me, you appreciate lovely children's books,

think of Valerie and her gentle, thoughtful pictures and verse.

These books are perfect for bedtime stories as well as

anytime of the day you want to engage children in 

looking at and imaging the details of the natural world in and around their doorstep.

Thanks Val!

I've got mail!

I love to see something in the post with this big gold stamp from the UK on it...

This is the third print I've purchased from an artist whom I've never met

but feel a kindred spirit to...

I spoke the other day of the famous naturalist / botanical artist Anna Maria Sybilla Merian

who was able to bring to life the world around her through her paintings.

I have the same thoughts about Val.

Her way of capturing the natural beauty of the flora and fauna

 of  Britain is stunning and gentle.

Just look at this lovely print I just received of a Thrush...

My photos don't do it justice but believe me, it's even more beautiful in real life.

The colours, the texture, the expression in the birds eye and the light are what call to me...

She's also making beautiful little books and woodcut prints which are all available in her etsy shop .

I have the perfect vintage frame that I'm going to put it in.

Thanks Val!

(p.s she also has a blog you can follow here )