A good reason for following your favourite blog...

Well I never thought it would happen to me. I have to say that after this experience I'm a committed blogster.

Received an email this week alerting me to the fact that I'd just won the award (a new prize winning illustrated children's book) for leaving a comment on my favourite blog at We Heart Books. I couldn't believe it, really stoked. It looks like a beautifully illustrated book by Taeeun Yoo, and I know my daughter will love it - what with young witches, flying brooms, black cats...perrrrfect. I know that for the next week or so I'll be checking my letterbox every moment just like a lovesick sad case.

The illustrator Taeeun writes a fascinating blog, or rather illustrates it with sketchbook drawings, like the following.

However, my favourite (and it's currently adorning my screen saver) is this one. Find the Red book.

Development of 'Open Book' name

This week the goal within the group was to find a name and overall feel for our bookshop review website. Easy peasy.

Well, not really.

Thought long and hard, and then some more, until finally the simple things just seemed to fall into place as if from on high (thank you Muses).

My ideas, and there were plenty of dud ones, seemed to coalesce around: Open Book.

Simple. Classy. Expandable into other territories, eg. Open Book Melbourne, Open Book Sydney, etc. always got to think ahead marketing wise.

Anyway, great nice name, but what about an image and logo to go with it.

So, I sat down in my office at home (crowded with my daughter's proliferating daily artworks or more precisely, objet d'art) and began configuring a logo through Adobe Illustrator - a fabulous program, of which I'm only truly minimally capable.

Finally though, something did come together. I think I'm quietly proud. I hope the others see it as I do...we shall see; all part of the rich tapestry of life.

We Heart Books

The blog I love to follow, especially in regard to the focus of my project, is We Heart Books. The blog is run by two Melbourne women who have had publishing industry experience, but now after children, have decided to focus on highlighting children's literature, especially classic and international illustrated books.

Their blog site also cleverly sits side by side with an online store, that features specialty illustrated books and soft toys. Which to my mind is very, very smart.

What I really like about their site, is not only their enthusiasm and openness, but also the fact that they provide easy-digestible inspiration to others with their passion for quality children's literature and illustrated books.

I look forward also to learning and harnessing some of their ideas on their blog into our bookshop reviews project. I'm going to be handling or developing the kids or children's side of bookshops and literature. I guess at this stage I'll definitely be including dedicated children's bookshops around Melbourne. Would also like to include some interviews with their owners: such as Desert Island books type of short interview material, e.g. What favourite book would you take with you to a deserted island type of question. Anyway, just some initial ideas at the moment. Will develop and keep this blog abreast of developments. Team bookshop (e.g. university colleagues) seem very committed and easy to work with...all good thus far.

Add this...

Have been a little slack with an update...

Have just added added some widgets to the blog (I know it's Blog 101, but hey I'm fast catching up!). But wait there's more... I have added it to my blog, through the Add This site (very simple and easy to use... thank you Chris), not once but twice, sidebar, and below blog post via html.

Very cool. Am beginning to enjoy the code aspect, feeling very technical-minded.

Project seems to be coming along, at least via the Posterous posts for the bookstore concept. I'm sure after the first assessment submission, and when we can get face to face (which I hope I haven't missed yet) it will surely rocket along.

Beginnings...cue music!

Just managed to get everything right, and away I'll write.

This is just, for want of a better description, an online journal of my work at the University of Melbourne for the subject Advanced Editing for Digital Media. During this first semester of 2010, I'll be working jointly on a website with several colleagues, and so I will be jotting down the progress of my work and that of my fellow digital natives.

I must mention at this point that after the first meeting (last Tuesday evening) there seemed to be a remarkable convergence on the theme: that of a website detailing all aspects of 'Outdoor Melbourne'.

I think it's a fabulous idea, as it can contain the seeds of such diverse elements and allow them to grow. I think, just to keep the flowering metaphor a little longer, that gardening seemed a passion of one of the instigators of the idea (i've forgotten her name), and so germane as the idea is, this one I believe can sprout.

I think at this early and hazy stage, that each of the members will write content and look after a certain component of the 'Outdoor' site; for instance, gardening, or music and film events outdoors, etc.

The component I'd like to look at and write about is possibly the 'kids and family' angle. So, looking at kid specific events and opportunities outdoors, and then tie in the whole family element as well.

Anyway, will keep the reader posted.