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| The Adventures of Madeline |
"In an old house in Paris
That was covered in vines
Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines."
Do these opening lines hold as much affection for you as
they do for me? Whenever I hear author and artist Ludwig Bemelmans' rhymes, I
gladly enter his evocative world of Madeline.
I recently took part in a Tag Swap. "Share Your
Favourite Book" was the theme. I am a Bibliophile...with a capital
B...and I'm not afraid to admit it! So this should have been a pretty easy
decision. But which book to choose??!! Each title on my list was filled with
special memories and meanings.
As my list of possible contenders grew, my eye kept coming
back to one title...Madeline.
Madeline, the little girl who Bemelmans lovingly crafted his
stories around, was self-sufficient, ingenious, and was fearless enough to
travel into a part of the world I hoped I would someday discover on my own.
But more than the enchanting story lines, the exotic
locations, and the character of Madeline herself, the series is a reminder of a
cherished childhood. My Mom and I would make our daily trip to the Brooklyn
Public Library and rush home to read the books together. And as we turned each
page it was her constant reassurance that, with a little hard work, I could
accomplish anything I wanted to in life. Like Madeline, I too could be
self-sufficient, ingenious, and most of all, fearless.
The substrate for my Tag is illustration board. The
background is a combination of various coloured Distress Inks. I scratched into
the board to give it texture and applied rubber stamped swirls. Over the
background is a selection of vintage images, Washi tape, handmade paper, a Bonne
Maman label, and of course Ludwig Bemelmans' lovely illustration and text. I
finished the Tag with stencilled acrylic paint.
But wherever my childhood dreams encouraged me to wander,
Ludwig Bemelmans' words still ring true for me...
"The best part of a voyage
By plane,
By ship,
Or train
Is when the trip is over and you are
Home Again."
What is the best part of your Life Voyage? May you always
find that delicious place you call Home.
