The Wizard of Op

Since I first borrowed it from my school library over twenty years ago I have had the images from Ed Emberley's The Wizard of Op (1975) stuck in my head. Part comic book, part Op art, what's not to love? I think it also paved the way for my eventual Magic Eye obsession. It's also maybe why I love other books full of psychedelic black and white illustration, like the Frank Asch book I shared previously. As far as I know The Wizard of Op is out of print, so if anyone reading this ever comes across a copy, please let me know! For the time being, at least I found some of the images through the magic of the Internet.

All images via The Stopping Off Place

Being Harkers

My dad, his siblings, and his grandmother, just sitting around being Harkers.

The Third Dimension

Another weird crafting book found in Utah. This one's so psychedelic!

Puppy Love

Here are some scans from one of my vintage book finds, Dogs We Love. I originally picked it up for its hilarious cover, but it's turned out to be one of Madeline's favourite books to pull out and look at. Maddie's still pretty timid around the real life variety, but pictures of pooches (especially the ones where they are with kids or other animals) are right up her alley. "Doggyyyy!"













Adelaide and Ubu, this song goes out to you:

P.S. Is Donny Osmond the Beebs of the 1970s? Discuss.

Uncle Brad Reading Hitchcock, 1972

We just installed a carbon monoxide detector in our house-- something I asked my mom to do because everyone in the house has been having crazy dreams lately. Ever since I heard a Halloween episode of This American Life about a family that thinks their house is haunted (but they are actually experiencing the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning) I've been convinced there is a gas leak every time I hear a creak.

I know it's still nine months until Halloween, but I've been thinking a lot lately about being scared and how I used to love it. I read so many R.L. Stine books, and watched shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark. It seems so weird to me, because I actually hate being scared now. I can't watch horror movies, I get freaked out seeing people dressed up for those zombie walks, and I still refuse to look into a mirror with the lights out. But I feel weirdly nostalgic about being scared as a kid. I guess when you're little it's fun to be scared by ghosts, and now that I'm a grown-up I don't enjoy it. Maybe there are too many other things to be worried about, like carbon monoxide. (Seriously guys, that's how Weird Al's parents died!)
Madeline pushed a button on the detector the other day, causing it to make a painfully loud noise. She burst into tears and I had to cuddle her for a good minute or so before she calmed down. The poor girl was freaked out by the very thing that makes me feel safe.


Anyway, this whole spiel was inspired by this photo I came across of my Uncle Brad reading a Hitchcock book. I love the flood pants, the glasses, the posture. He's wearing a suit, so I bet it's a sunday. Just reading some scary stories after church. It's one of my favourite kid pictures of all time.
Also, does anyone remember this creepy Disney movie, The Watcher in the Woods? "Narek"!