Mr. Scoutie Girl and I went to the movies this weekend. We went to see Twilight: Eclipse – on the IMAX no less – yes, I’m that kind of wife. After a short tiff at the concession counter that resulted in paying $3.50 for a bottle of water, we took our seats. Within 5 minutes, I was up & back at the concessions to get some Sno Caps. I love Sno Caps. Not as much as a real nonpareil but enough.
As I walked back into the theater, struggling with the plastic wrap separating me from dark chocolate & sprinkly goodness, I realized just what was playing on the screen: the trailer for the next Chronicles of Narnia movie.
Oh. My. Gosh.
I ran up the all-too-steep stairs trying to keep my squealing in check. I plopped down next to Mr. Scoutie Girl with tears of joy in my eyes.
I was not at all prepared for this. I almost thought they had given up on the new movies. But no… there was the Voyage of the Dawn Treader in all it’s glory.
It would be easy to tell you that this is not at all how I reacted to seeing the trailers for the first two movies. But that would be a lie. Seeing these movies come to life in a modern theater with digital surround sound, special effects, and talking animals that actually look real makes me giddy. Seriously giddy. Textbook giddy.
And as much as I detest all things commercial, I have to admit that I have marveled at the action figures, the costumes, and associated paraphernalia.
You see, I grew up with the Chronicles of Narnia. That book series was everything to me. The PBS/BBC movie versions were like a rainy day magic potion. And truthfully, in college, when I realized you could get them on DVD, I got them for Christmas. I never had action figures or costumes or companion books but I did have me, myself, and I – and our fantastic imagination.
To me, embracing this new celebration of Narnia has been a way of making a part of my childhood (and young adulthood) real, tangible. It’s inspiration that I can hold in my hands now. It’s a reminder of the wonder of youth and the feeling you get when you realize you’re reading something that will forever change your life.
Narnia has influenced my imagination, my creativity, and my theology. It has never stopped possessing my mind and my heart. I doubt it ever will.
So, for this week’s We Scout Wednesday, I wonder… what is your childhood inspiration? Is it an artist, a movie, a picture book, an experience? How does it play out in your life now? Share you answer on your own blog, Twitter stream, or even on Flickr! Please include a link back to this post (http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2010/07/childhood-inspiration.html). And then share YOUR link in the Mister Linky below!
{original Chronciles of Narnia illustrations by Pauline Baynes}
Tara Gentile is a business coach and blogger serving passion-driven entrepreneurs with fresh ideas about 
love this post, nicey!
mine would definately be the bright & beautiful world of sesame street.
i still adore all those colours, ideas, creative- inspirations and cute little nicies!
yay childhood inspirations!
love me some sesame street too. and i think i love it more now watching it with lola – it’s hilarious.
Great question! My childhood inspirations are the Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea movies. Well-written, well-shot, and the music is sweeping and beautiful. Popping those movies in the VCR (we’ve had the tapes forever) is a great way for me to hit the “reset” button and think about what’s really important in my life. It’s been this way for me for years. Thank you!
those never got me hooked, jen. but i totally understand the appeal! thanks for sharing!
I loved this post! First off, I did exactly the same thing with Twilight last night … although now I wish I’d had some snow caps. Secondly, I can remember my grandmother reading Winken, Blinken +Nod (A Dutch Lullaby) by Eugene Field to me every time I stayed over at her house (my mom was single and dated on the weekends!) It’s such a lovely poem … and brought back many memories.
the first rule of movie is that you always get the sno caps. the second rule of movie is that you always get the sno caps.
thanks for sharing your memory!
Maurice Sendak books and Beatrix Potter!
another two good ones!
I linked to a post on KOM from last summer! Gonna tweet & FB it though, what a GREAT question, loved this post. Happy Wednesday to you! xox
thanks, amanda!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kind Over Matter, tara gentile. tara gentile said: we scout wednesday: what's your childhood inspiration? http://bit.ly/cxnDPh [...]
I was raised a Jehovahs Witness, and was not allowed to read many magical books. We had a Book of Bible Stories, and as soon as I read about Jezebel I loved her. I always felt she was misunderstood, she was just different, colorful, beautiful. It made me sad to think this woman was fed to the dogs because she wore make-up and dressed in flashy clothes. I was her, and she was me. I left the religion as a teen and never looked back.
Also when Tim Burtons BeetleJuice came out my father who was not a witness brought me to see it in the theater. 1)the lead character and I share the same name 2)the costumes were fantastic 3)I Loved every swirl and twirl of the set design 4) I cried all the way home because I felt so guilty for loving it so much. It was supposedly a demonic movie, but all I saw was light and magic and it felt SO good.
So Jezebel and Tim Burton, they are my childhood inspirations
lydia, i really appreciate you sharing your story! such a unique perspective. i dig it!
Winne-the-Pooh! The original stories and illustrations (sorry Disney). Running off to write…thanks.
My mother named me Laura after Laura Ingalls Wilder. When I was a child she read the entire series of Little House books to me over the years. I have always been influenced by her courage and do-it-yourself pioneering spirit. I loved how Laura and Mary made their own toys from scraps and things around the farm. I still prefer to try and make something myself before I buy it.
I also grew up loving Sesame Street and all of Jim Henson’s Muppets. They are a huge influence on me as I make all kinds of monsters everyday now.
One final influence is my mother. She use to tell me stories about the dragon that lived in her closet when she was a child. I love the idea of everyone having their own small, secret friend. This is why I make monsters in every shape and color I can imagine. Even if I don’t always love a monster when it’s finished I know someone, somewhere will. I’m the most delighted at craft fairs when someone buys a monster that I never liked, for to me, that says it found its true home.
I think the things that really stand out and inspire me are the smells and sites of my grandmothers kitchen. I don’t know if it’s the smell of the enamel pots she used to cook in or the food itself. And jello served in green depression champagne glasses! She always had that waiting in the fridge for us. The prints of the fabrics she used in the kitchen, the curtains, kitchen towels the colors were wonderful and the prints were bold (circa. 1940) I miss her…
[...] is also inspiration – not only for a youngster; but for you, now. Just for one moment, allow yourself to wander back [...]
Winnie-the-Pooh and the 100 acre wood were my first inspirations. I loved the wood, that anything could happen there and Pooh and Piglet were friends forever. It all seemed to be one big adventure. I continually used the stories for my own creative play. And I also made plays out of the stories! What fun.
Thanks for reminding me to look back for inspiration.
Great post! I linked up my blog with my childhood inspiration. Writing this brought back so many memories and made me smile. Thanks
The inspiration for my artwork comes, quite a bit, from two things:
1) Growing up in Florida (specifically Orlando) influences my color pallet – big, bold, beautiful colors that come from looking into the sky during sunrises, sunsets, stormy afternoons and sunny days.
2) Working as a Can-Can Girl at Rosie O’Grady’s has always stuck with me – the jazz, the colors, the performance – brought me to creating a handmade line of barware out of clay that always reminds me of that time and makes me smile.
I realize these memories are a little different than most people’s, but they are the two greatest influences on the work I make today.
This may be a bit silly but Debbie Gibson was my hero when I was a little girl. Combined with watching “The Princess Bride” over and over again. My first ideas of love came from these two influences… and I think my love art art also blossomed from there. If you have ever seen the movie.. it’s filled with colors, stories, magic.. sigh. I think I have to go watch it right now!
muriel, i was a huge debbie gibson fan too!! and the princess bride… oy!
this post & the comments have been so enlightening to me. so many kindred spirits!
ok, can i just say that i am in love with the chronicles of narnia. i didn’t discover them until i was much older, like in college. but if i had read them as a child, i am sure that they would have been my all time favorite books. there is nothing like them. sigh. now i am ready to go read them all over again. and i can’t wait until the dawn treader comes out.
[...] is my late addition to we scout wednesday. this week’s theme: childhood inspiration. my inspiration was and is my grandparents. they [...]
this was a great post! thanks for sharing and for reminding me to be grateful for the inspiration i have in my life
I loved Chronicles of Narnia! I had a paperback set when I was little, but when they came out with the 50th Anniversary box set, of course I got that. I also have some of the PBS/BBC movies on VHS somewhere… Other books I loved dearly and read over and over again (and still read periodically) include A Wrinkle in Time and all its sequels and Bruce Coville’s “My Teacher Is an Alien” series.
Fraggle Rock was a big influence too – I have most of the series on DVD, watch it frequently still, and I’m not a bit embarassed to say I still sing along with most of the songs, and once in awhile gain some valuable insight from watching it, even at the age of 27.
I feel like my attitude toward life was largely shaped by Jim Henson, and he has this wonderful quote: “My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.” Such a simple concept, but if everyone approached each day with that in mind, I think the world would be a much better place.
As a child, I was definitely captivated with all the old things, especially at my grandparents’ houses. My memories of overnight stays, cooking and baking especially play into my love for preparing big meals on occasion and trying (and altering) new recipes! I also love looking at old photographs. The more aged they are, the more I love them.
(Psst – I love Sno Caps, too!)
My biggest influence as a kid was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Being the oldest of 8 kids, I used little Mary’s world to escape from all the hustle and bustle of my own. I loved to think of the flowers, the fountain, the trees… They translate to my craft in the form of beautiful vintage florals, the paisleys and deep rich colors of her uncle’s manor, and quotes like “Where, you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.”
Iit’s a beautiful story with lots of lessons, but when I think of it, my favorite part is how easy it is to put yourself in the story. I really believed I could be in the garden with Colin, Dickon, and Mary.
OMG. I was a HUGE Narnia fan! It all started with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It was so magical and I loved magical as a kid. Another inspiration for me Sesame Street and Disney. I had a HUGE collection of read along stories on 45 (vinyl). I would spend HOURS locked up in my room listening to story upon story on my record player. One of my ALL-TIME records wasn’t Disney or Sesame Street though – it was a Peter Pan recording of Tina The Ballerina. Made me want to dance! But instead I drew. =)
BTW LOVE snowcapssssss and Eclipse was AWESOME!!
Great post!! I actually started to write one thing and went in a whole different direction on my blog in response to this. My boyfriend and I write a travel zine (Outta the Way). We take road trips every single weekend possible and my parents taking my brother and I on cool and interesting vacations and also on car rides all the time is really my inspiration for traveling and photography of the places.
hehe tara – at this point i’m wondering if we actually are related. b/c narnia was one of the most influential things from my childhood too. so crazy! loved this post
[...] ScoutieGirl poses another really good question: What is your childhood inspiration? [...]
This question, your answer to it and several other blog posts in the Mr. Linky really took me back. Thanks for the great dose of inspiration.
“Little Women” I loved that book! I wanted to be Jo….. I wanted to have sisters! I wanted to fall in love in the end! I read and re read it.