Thursday, December 2, 2010

CHRISTMAS NUTSHELL LIBRARY by Hilary Knight


CHRISTMAS NUTSHELL LIBRARY
by Hilary Knight



Food for Thought ~ I'm serving up a platter of sweet miniature books. Sadly, now out of print, this little box of books, was first printed in 1963. The Nutshell Library is a set of four miniature volumes, each with it's own special little story for the Christmas season. They've been part of my Christmas joy for many years.



A FIREFLY IN A FIR TREE is well, A CHRISTMAS CAROL FOR MICE. Yes, each little page offers up a "mouse" version of THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. From a "firefly in a fir tree to silver pins, thistle dusters, holly berries, bluebells, wrens nesting, spiders spinning, crickets singing, nuts for nibbling, tree toads leaping, feathers fanning, and bees abuzzing" this Carol for Mice is sure to make you smile.



ANGELS & BERRIES & CANDY CANES is an alphabet of yule-time pleasures. No text, just fanciful illustrations for each letter, so young ones can tell the story in their own words with clues from the bold Alphabet Letter of each page.



A CHRISTMAS STOCKING STORY is the whimsical story of how the animals fix Santa's merry Christmas mix-up. You know, even Santa can make a mistake!



THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is of course the classic poem by Clement C. Moore beautifully interpreted through the black and white illustrations of Mr. Knight.



~Now Serving a Platter of Chocolates ~

I couldn't resist these little blocks of sweet milk chocolates all wrapped up in foil jackets delightfully illustrated with the images of Molly Brett. Just look at this parade of woodland critters getting into the Christmas spirit. These little guys could have come straight out of the pages of a Nutshell Library.



Oh, and feel free to take a chocolate.
Scroll on down to read another Food for Thought review.
~ THE GIFT OF THE MAGI~
Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

31 comments:

  1. Thanks bunches~~ I'll just help myself to one of those chocolates.
    I love your Christmas books.
    Another friday's favorite for sure :-)

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  2. Those books are adorable Sarah, what a shame they're no longer in print, makes them extra special to you too I'm sure. I'd love a choccy too, thank you ;) and have a wonderful weekend.

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  3. I think I have seen these little treasures before. They are the cutest little itty bitties. I would enjoy them too! I will have some chocolate. We have an itty bitty set of flower fairies books and my girls loved them when they were younger. Thanks for showing us them! Joni

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  4. You have been sooo busy! I love the darling little chocolates and what a cute book too. I loved this post. I will have a chocolate too if there are any left.

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  5. Sarah, what darling books! I'd never heard of these. I love your photos...they make the books even more special!

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  6. I love this delightful post. The little books are so sweet..the chocolates look devine..and I must tell you that I took TWO. :))

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  7. What an adorable platter of sweet little books & serving of sweet little chocolates to accompany them! I can't resist those wrapped illustrated chocolates~ I picked up some St. Nicholas ones at Home Goods the other day :-)

    The books are too cute, I would love paging thru A Christmas Stocking Story, what a happy little collection of books. So fun to see what books the school teacher has in her collection!

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  8. Really cute Sarah! Love your pics, and chocolate is always a good thing-enjoy:@)

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  9. Sweet collection of books!

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  10. Your collections are so precious..I too like your little chocolates..VEry sweet.

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  11. Yay...such lovely charming treasures..such beauties..they are heart-charmers for sure!! thanks for sharing this awesome collection!
    Happy wkd!
    Kiki~

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  12. That is a very sweet collection of little books. I love how your pictures really reflected the titles of the books.
    The chocolate wrappings are too cute. I would have a hard time unwrapping those!
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Jane

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  13. What adorable books! I love miniatures! The chocolates are so cute! I would save those wrappers and fill them with cardboard or something and keep that little scene. Love your little mouse Christmas.

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  14. What adorable little books! I have a miniture "Night Before Christmas book, that nestles in my tree.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  15. I couldn't possibly take a chocolate and risk ruining the woodland animal scene!
    I have a miniature German Christmas Carol book, with words and music, that sits in my tree every year. I have a fondness for small books and just last week found a tiny tome, full of pictures of garden huts and hideaways.

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  16. how cute is this! i love that you have saved these little treasures, and love it even more that you shared them with us! i had sweet tiny books like this too, i wish i had saved them all :(

    and those chocolates, oh my goodness, how adorable are those. i think i need to shop where you do, that is too cute for words! i feel like a kid again, i want to find those in my stocking this year~

    gorgeous hot shnocolate shot too! oh this was fun fun fun for me, i am so glad you joined in again, you had me crying with the gift of the magi and leave me smiling with visions of mice and chocolates dancing in my head! thank you so much for sharing, i sure hope you can dazzle me all december!

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  17. Thes books are so cute and just adorable, Sarah!...Christine

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  18. Dear Sarah,
    lovely little books and cute chocolate.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  19. There is always just something so special about teeny-tiny little books...I think its because they fit into children's hands so perfectly. Ms. C. would LOVE these!

    How on earth you found chocolates wrapped in the most perfect of scenes...amazing!

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  20. Sarah, soooooooo glad to meet another Texan from Food for Thought! LOVE your choice of books. I have never seen those but, they look so sweet. Glad you liked my choice of Jolly Old Santa Claus. I hope you do find your childhood copy. The one I share with you was a 1958 edition & was listed on EBay (there photos came out better than my scanned ones) & at that time the price was $158 with 11 bids & over 24 hours left on it. Hope you enjoy the holiday season & all it has to offer! Charlene

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  21. Hi Sarah. Oh, these little books are so cute. I used to have some about bunnies in little boxes like these.
    Thanks for popping in to see me.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  22. That is so sweet! I love Christmas books and bring our collection our every year too.

    Thanks for popping in today. It is always lovely when you visit Sarah!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

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  23. I remember these sweet little books! They are so adorable!

    The chocolates are too cute to tear into the wrappers!

    Katherine

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  24. Dearest Sarah,

    OH I SO REMEMBER THE NUTSHELL LIBRARIES...MY FAVORITE because I could wrap my little hands around them and I had the Maurice Sendak one...THANK YOU FOR COMING BY FOR A SPRINKLE OF DREAM DUST...and your photos with the mice are so precious...just precious!!! Don't you wish animals could talk? teeeheee

    Anita

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  25. What lovely little books, thanks so much for sharing them with us. Such a shame that they are out of print now, they would make a super stocking filler for a small child.
    Your post was beautifully illustrated, the chocolate and candy canes added a whimsical note too.
    Your FFT posts are always so clever!
    Bisous
    Maggie

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  26. The Christmas books are so cute. I have a few, I wish we had more of the kids and ours. Lovely post.

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  27. Sarah,

    I love how you weave books into your celebration of this most magical season. Thanks so much for sharing itr with us at Seasonal Sundays.

    - The Tablescaper

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  28. Sarah, what cute little books. I just love the way you have them displayed.

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  29. Oh Sarah, what a delightful post! The little books are precious, but you have created magic with your vignettes for each story. I love those cute mice dressed in their plaid clothes. And the chocolates are beautiful. I'd hate to unwrap one, but I do love chocolate, so it would be very tempting. Thank you for linking this Christmas magic for Favorite Things. laurie

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  30. I love your little nutshell books! I'll have to keep an eye out while antiquing. :) One another note, I wanted to let you know that stumbling across your blog today made my morning. I have a handwritten copy of the poem that your blog (and boat) are named after from my grandmother. Seeing your blog's name and the poem written beneath filled me with warm memories of her! Thank you!

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Thank you to each of you who take the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate each and every one and will respond to any questions. Your notes are the only way I know who has stopped in for a visit.