Mamie book launch wrap-up!

What an absolute stunner of a day at Carrick Hill Estate on 25 November. This truly divine historical site in Adelaide is a must-see. The house, the grounds--wow wow. Enormous thanks to Christine and Ilonka and the team for the opportunity to launch Mamie onsite. It was such an honour and I know in my heart that May Gibbs would have heartily approved!

My wonderful husband flew over from Canberra for the event, and he helped me set up on the lawns at Cypress Terrace. Little fairies and gumnut babies began arriving and started decorating their own paper sunglasses, just like the ones Mamie wears on the cover of the book.

The children had gumnut lollipops (huge hit!) and wattleseed cupcakes, and enjoyed colouring-in, word searches and making their bedazzled sunglasses.

It was a joy to finally meet author Tania Ingram (above) and then my esteemed book launcher, Jane Brumitt, and her lovely daughter Susie and husband Bob arrived...

...as did the a glorious local author contingency, and some gals from the May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust...

BELOW, left to right: Janeen Brian, Polly Hamer, Elizabeth Hutchins, moi, Kelly Hibbert, Mandy Foot.

After a little intro, Jane Brummitt, May Gibbs aficionado and expert (and related to May by marriage) spoke about May's legacy and its appeal to a new generation of children. She said some beautiful words about Mamie and it was an absolute thrill to have her speak.

Then Jane officially launched the book... and so did I! (No one was hurt.)

I began reading the book in the sunshine.

And as I was pointing to a page in the book with a magpie in the trees, a magpie joined us in the garden. We think it was May.

The kids got busy with activities and spotting fairies in the garden.

I then signed books, wearing my Erstwilder May Gibbs pin, designed by (and gifted to me by) the amazing Jess Racklyeft.

We sold out of books! Thank you, everyone!

with Jane Brummitt

with author Janeen Brian

Kylie and her gumnut

with Jane Brummitt

with illustrator Mandy Foot

with author Kelly Hibbert

with author Katrina Germein

My husband had a flight to catch, so I had a very short time to view the May Gibbs and Botanical Art exhibition in Carrick Hill house, and then trundle through the newly-established May Gibbs Garden, just below Cypress Terrace. The garden is gorgeous and contains many of the plants and trees May painted in her lifetime, as an accomplished botanical artist. Congratulations to Carrick Hill for showing this magnificent exhibition and thank you for creating this garden that will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

I was absolutely mesmerised by these artworks; could not pull myself away. And what a joy to see original copies of the Lone Hand magazine and other treasured ephemera, let alone the stunning range of May's paintings (and other artists including a personal fave--Ellis Rowan) on display. Just breathtaking.

Enormous thanks to Janeen Brian, Kelly Hibbert, my hubby and many others for the sensational photographs taken on the day. And thank you to everyone who came along--it was such a fun event, and I'm so grateful to have launched Mamie in a city May knew and loved as a child.

And the most thanks goes to Jane Brummitt, whose adoration for May and her legacy knows no bounds. Jane has been instrumental in the creation of Mamie, and her knowledge, passion and generosity has been life-changing for me. Below is the snatch of gumnuts she gifted me after the launch, and I enjoyed them completely during the last week of my stay in Adelaide.

Tx