Lego's Hans Christian Andersen Set: Activities During Corona

I am thinking about some kind of Lego Fairy Tale challenge for Activities During Corona. I haven't finished thinking it through--although I plan to keep it simple--and have to emphasize it is in no way connected with the Lego company, of course. For inspiration, I went web surfing for some fairy tale related Lego builds.

I somehow missed the release of LEGO 40291 Creative Storybook Set (307 Pieces) (Hans Christian Anderson) a while back! Even when I am not actively posting on the SurLaLune blog, I am always noticing and keeping my own lists of fairy tale related items. This set is a natural for Lego since they share their homeland of Denmark with Hans Christian Andersen. Just looking at it reminded me of my own trip to Copenhagen in 2017 when I got to see many HCA related places and pieces. I loved Copenhagen and hope to return someday for another visit.

This set was a free gift with purchase item and I missed this although I even get the Lego catalogs and have for years. I have many, many Lego fans in my family.

This set, reminiscent of the Once Upon a Brick set with it's open book design, depicts Andersen sitting on a park bench, writing one of his tales. The opposite page portrays a scene from The Ugly Duckling. It's still fairly easy to find through online retailers, but not Lego themselves. My links are to Amazon but you can hunt around for it online if you are interested in it.

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New Book: The Ugly Dumpling by Stephanie Campisi and Shahar Kober

The Ugly Dumpling by Stephanie Campisi (Author) and Shahar Kober (Illustrator) was released this past April. And, yes, it's a retelling of Andersen's The Ugly Duckling. With Dumplings.

Book description:

"A whimsical story about being different, and the power of love."—Wendy Orr, author of Nim's Island and The Princess and Her Panther

It’s not easy being the ugliest dumpling in a dim sum restaurant. Uneaten and ignored, the ugly dumpling is down in the dumps. But when an encouraging cockroach sees the dumpling’s inner beauty, this unlikely duo embarks on an eye-opening adventure, leading the ugly dumpling to discover its true identity and realize that being different is beautiful after all.

A modern fairytale retelling with a timeless moral: There’s a little ugly dumpling in all of us.

Crafty Friday: Amigurumi Fairy Tales - Crochet Your Own Enchanted Forest by Tessa van Riet-Ernst

Amigurumi Fairy Tales - Crochet Your Own Enchanted Forest by Tessa van Riet-Ernst was released this year.

As always, pictures speak louder than words when it comes to crafts. You can click on the images below to see them larger.

Book description:

Amigurumi-expert and fairy tale lover Tessa van Riet-Ernst puts numerous world famous fairy tale characters in a new crochet jacket. Of course Tessa put a bit of herself in there as well. The big bad wolf is secretly a softy, but he tries to look more dangerous by wearing a spiky collar. And Prince Charming is still not sure which princess stole his heart: the lovely Snow White or Cinderella. Or maybe Rapunzel, with her beautiful long hair? Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, the seven goats, the ugly duckling and the three little pigs all play a leading role.

This book contains 8 world famous stories and more than 20 new patterns. Projects ranging from beginner to advanced crocheter. Find complete instructions for all basic stitches needed and lots of pictures of each character from all sides.

Crafty Friday: Once Upon a Time . . . in Crochet by Lynne Rowe

Once Upon a Time . . . in Crochet: 30 Amigurumi Characters from Your Favorite Fairytales by Lynne Rowe was released earlier this year, July actually. These are quite cute--as always, the Princess and the Pea is my favorite. There wasn't a better image of Rapunzel other than the cover--I like her, too.

Book description:

This fun, quirky book contains 12 cute and whimsical fairy tale favorites, from Puss in Boots and the Ugly Duckling to Thumbelina and Rapunzel, using both amigurumi and standard crochet designs. The book also contains an easy-to-use step-by-step techniques section, showing the reader how to pin out their crochet pieces before assembling, make moving arms and legs and create a range of hairstyles.

You can click on these images to see them larger:

Fairy Tales in Advertising: Scrabble: Multiple Tales

Scrabble: Red Riding Hood

This one is fascinating but I have to let the designers fully explain it. So from Ads of the World:

This poster was written to prove the infinite amount of words you can get combining the alphabet letters when playing Scrabble. We took the classic tale Red Riding Hood "Caperucita Roja" and using the exact same letters, from the title and the story, wrote a completely different tale: "Pau el Carrito Caja", Paul the little Boxcar. As an example, if this poster was written in English, a different tale using the same letters of Red Riding Hood could have been "Odd Herd Origin". "Pau el Carrito Caja" tells the story of a little girl that travels with her imagination to different places on Pau, in her car made out of a wooden box.

Advertising Agency: Ogilvy, Guatemala
Chief Creative Officer: Ramiro Eduardo
Creative Director: Herberth Monterroso
Copywriter: Desire Cojulum
Illustrator: Sua Agape
Art Directors: Fernando Mira, Christina Irving-Bell

Now someone go play this rewriting game with another fairy tale. I call Princess and the Pea!  Nah, I think I will just stick to playing Scrabble instead. Which, ironically enough, has been my computer game of choice for clearing the brain after a long day in 2014.

Scrabble: Three Little Pigs

This poster was written to prove the infinite amount of words you can get combining the alphabet letters when playing Scrabble. We took the classic tale Three Little Pigs "Los Tres Cochinitos" andusing the exact same letters, from the title and the story, wrote a completely different tale: "Tres Chinitos Locos", Three Crazy Little Chinese. As an example, if this poster was written in English, a different tale using the same letters of Three Little Pigs could have been "The Glitter Piles". "Tres Chinitos Locos" tells the story of three wise Chinese friends that get the call from the Emperor to find the cure for mortality. After many attempts the wise Chinese come back with the solution: To avoid mortality live your life fiercely.

Scrabble: The Ugly Duckling

This poster was written to prove the infinite amount of words you can get combining the alphabet letters when playing Scrabble. We tok the classic tale The Ugly Duckling "El Patito Feo" and using the exact same letter, from the title and the story, wrote a completely different tale: "Pelotita Ofe", Little Ball Ofe. As an example, if this poster was written in English, a different tale using the same letters of The Ugly Duckling could have been "Cudy The Gull King". "Pelotita Ofe" tells the story of a little ball called Ofe (short name for Ofelia) that opposite to the Ugly Duckling, goes from pretty to ugly after she goes on a diet because she finds out that she is fat.

How fitting that I will be spending the weekend at the Southern Festival of Books!

Fairy Tale Eyelid Art by Tal Peleg

Friend Valerie shared this link with me from Upopin:

An Israeli makeup artist, Tal Peleg, makes miniature paintings on eyelids and shows that a little eyeshadow and some eyeliner can go a long way. The entire eye and face becomes an unbelievable portrait that displays some amazing feeling and detail!

Pretty amazing actually. Thanks for sharing, Valerie! You can see more of Peleg's work on her Facebook page. Which one is your favorite?

Two Bargain Romance Novels: Eloisa James's Fairy Tales

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James is $.99 for ebook format. A Cinderella inspired romance novel, the one that started the series for James.

Book description:

Miss Kate Daltry doesn’t believe in fairy tales . . .or happily ever after.

Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince . . . and decides he’s anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman—a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfill his ruthless ambitions.

Gabriel likes his fiancée, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn’t love her. Obviously, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him.

Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after.

Unless a prince throws away everything that makes him noble . . .

Unless a dowry of an unruly heart trumps a fortune . . .

Unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.

The Ugly Duchess (Happily Ever After...), another James novel is discounted to $2.99. This one is inspired by The Ugly Duckling.

Book description:

How can she dare to imagine he loves her . . . when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime . . . until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry.

Society was shocked by their wedding . . . and is scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his life, convincing Theo that he loves the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that, for a man with the soul of a pirate, All's Fair in Love—and War.

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James

The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James is released today, the latest entry in her fairy tale inspired romance series. This one's fairy tale inspiration is easy to guess from the title. (Yes, The Ugly Duckling!)

Book description:

How can she dare to imagine he loves her . . . when all London calls her The Ugly Duchess?

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal before the prince himself, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion.

Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months.

Theo would have given it a lifetime . . . until she discovers that James desired not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry.

Society was shocked by their wedding . . . and is scandalized by their separation.

Now James faces the battle of his life, convincing Theo that he loves the duckling who blossomed into the swan.

And Theo will quickly find that, for a man with the soul of a pirate, All's Fair in Love—and War.

If you are unfamiliar with Eloisa James, she is a fascinating author. Under her real name of Mary Bly, she is a professor of Shakespeare. She is also the daughter of Robert Bly, who himself is most famous for his work, Iron John: A Book About Men, a book at least all those interested in fairy tale and myth should be aware of if not more familiar with. So one may assume Mary was raised with a healthy dose of fairy tales and folkore in her own upbringing.

Here are the previous titles in the series: