Dance, Dance, Dance
“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.” Agnes De Mille Whether a Viennese Waltz, Irish Quadrille, Greek Horos, or Argentine Tango, most countries have a national dance. When dignitaries visit, the welcome ceremony often includes a dance presentation as a gesture of hospitality. Dance, along with music, is one of the purest expressions of joy and energy, and one of the easiest to share. With language barriers removed, one can instantly fuse with the life force which fills the room. For the...
Read MoreStolen Kisses
From Shakespeare to Tennyson, Byron to Keats, Sheridan to Swindberg…all authors of passion have something to say about love. When it comes to matters of the heart and romance, we learned in Pucker Up and Under the Mistletoe , that a lady + a handkerchief create a formidable duo. Every girl needs at least one red hankie. A foolproof flirting foil, the crimson hankie doubles as a nimble wing man, attracting admirers from across the room. Our first handkerchief displays a plethora of romantic aphorisms framing the temptress in the center. It’s the perfect contrivance to initiate a conversation...
Read MoreCowboys & Indians
“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” Ralph Waldo Emerson What would childhood be without heroes? From the 1930’s-50’s our heroes were larger than life, often because they were celluloid, blazing across a giant movie screen, riding a thundering steed. Yep. The all American Cowboy. We started this journey in Saddle Up Cowboy, with the likes of Tom Mix, Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autrey, Roy Rogers, and Kit Carson. Even the titles of TV shows had the searing crack of a bullwhip – Rawhide, Maverick, Gunsmoke, The Wild Wild West, The Lone...
Read MoreBig Bad Wolf
A Cautionary Tale “Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen.” So began Charles Perrault’s tale. The story first appeared in 1697, and is still popular today. This very faded image appears so soft and gentle that unless we look closely, we’re apt to miss the warning signs. Sweet rosy cheeked Miss Red is all wide eyed innocence, even though the wolf has jaws like a great white shark, and could snap her head in one bite. Her round toed shoes contrast to his menacing razor sharp claws The butterflies and...
Read MoreBarbara Beckmann
“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most.” John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice Textile artist Barbara Beckmann is the epitome of a consummate artist. A world traveler, she collects ideas from anywhere and everywhere, as her gimlet eye absorbs line, color, and form from all corners of the globe, then translates them into one-of-a-kind sublime creations. She’s been putting a brush to fabric for decades now, and never tires of the adventure, the romance, and the thrill of inventing fresh and original designs. After earning a degree in Fine Arts from the...
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