Sunday Afternoon Movie: The Secret of Kells

There's nothing J and I like better than to curl up under a blanket on a Sunday afternoon whilst watching a movie.

To say that I'm animation geek would be an understatement, so you know that given the choice, my vote will always go to an animated movie. Our latest pick was 'The Secret of Kells'. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't heard of this flick until last year's Oscars, where it was nominated for Best Animated Picture - and the only film in the category I hadn't seen. So needless to say, I sought it out, and I was not disappointed.

The film tells the story of Brendan, a young apprentice at an Irish monastery, during the creation of the illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells.



Personally, I think this trailer makes it look like slightly more of a Hollywood-epic than it is, which is a shame as The Secret of Kells' charm lies in its gentleness (though when it counts, they don't pull any punches with the drama - not one for the tinies perhaps) and its absolutely jaw-dropping visuals. Every scene is perfectly crafted, which is perhaps not surprising considering the depth of its source material! 

Another pleasant surprise was the blend of Christian lore and Celtic mythology - seemingly working together in harmony. Given the subject matter, it would have been very easy to sway too far in either direction, but the filmmakers have struck a very happy balance.

This is definitely going to be an addition to my dvd collection - I can't recommend it highly enough!

(In other news, I had the pleasure of seeing the real life Book of Kells when I visited Dublin a couple of years back. It's housed in the Trinity College Library and it's well worth a look-in.)

Meet Your Neighbour

Rather than some lame excuses about why Scarlet Pyjamas has been sans content lately, I thought I'd show you all. All over Christmas (no rest for the wicked!) and up until last week, I've been working with Sunderland Winter Gardens on their latest community exhibition - Meet Your Neighbour.

The outreach team from the museum have been working with the International Community Organisation of Sunderland to illustrate the experiences of the Polish community in the North East.

To complement the group's writing, I provided illustrations and layouts (as well as an identity for the exhibition over all) - based on the traditional Polish style of paper cutting Wycinanki - representing their lives and experiences in the region. 

(Apologies for the debris in this one, I was dodging the fitters trying to take pics!)

I'm thrilled to bits with how it's turned out and can't wait to try my hand at another project like it!

If you'd like to see it in real life, the exhibition is in the Open Space until the 25th February.

What better way to say happy new year...

... than with an amigurumi crochet band?



I appreciate we're a little late in the month for happy new years but here it is! Hope its cuteness makes up for its lateness.

SP