TMBG for budding audiophiles

[Here Come The 123s, music by They Might Be Giants, image from TMBG; Screenshot taken from TMBG's Bed Bed Bed, music by They Might be Giants, illustrated by Marcel Dzama, published by Simon and Schuster]

Yesterday I took out all of my old CDs. I've been pretty bad about cataloging them and downloading the songs onto my computer, and something hit me over the head yesterday and told me I should organize everything before I lose even more music. Every time I move I lose music and books. Now I realize that 1) My copy of Fountains of Wayne circa 1996 DOES NOT WORK! Even if I wanted to listen to Radiation Vibe right now, I can't, because my 12 year old CD is broken. 2) I have a lot of music still on tape. Back home. In the room I grew up in. I had so many great mixed tapes! Moby's Play? Tape. Fiona Apple's When the Pawn...? Tape. Ani DiFranco's Living in Clip? Tape. Frente's Marvin the Album? Tape. Where did all my music go?

So, seeing as how this weekend is the baby shower for my future niece, I'm dedicating this post to They Might Be Giants, who has a whole line of stuff just for the kiddies so that they can build their music libraries early...and hopefully not let it slide into a huge mess like mine. They have a charming website for their music+book combo, Bed Bed Bed, which Marcel Dzama illustrated. You can also download free MP3s there from their album, NO!.

For a whole gaggle of TMBG merchandise for budding audiophiles, shop some more here.

Denise Lynn Studios

[Images from Denise Lynn Studios, found via Print and Pattern]

Yet another great find for the baby to come--cute, whimsical, and absolutely delightful wrapping paper by Denise Lynn Studios! These elephants would be perfect for my sister's elephant theme. What a great way to wrap a present.

Parade of Elephants!

[Wee Gallery Elephant Re-stik, image from Blik Surface Graphics; Elephant Splash collage by Petit Collage, image from Petit Collage; limited edition print from Babar's Museum of Art, image from the American Library Association; leather bookends from PBK, image from Pottery Barn Kids; Elephant Party Card by Robot Candy, image from Elsewares]

My sister is having a baby {!!} and I am helping her decorate the baby room. The theme is elephants, so I will be going elephant crazy for the next 6 months or so. I had a stuffed elephant growing up that I named "Ellie Phant" from Ramona the Pest...perhaps I can find Ellie Phant and give her a new, very deserving home.

CORRECTION: I just found out, after all of these years of thinking Ramona called her elephant "Ellie Phant", that Ramona Quimby's stuffed elephant was named "Ella Funt". It was also in "Ramona and Her Mother" not "Ramona the Pest". My apologies.