beauty DiStOrTeD

Every woman should watch this ad. http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/flat4.asp?id=6909
We have heard snippets of what is involved in the media industry, yet unless we are somehow in it, we don't know to what lengths the models we admire have been altered. I mean, I knew they were airbrushed, and I know the difference make up can make, but watch this video and you will see just how CRAZY and uninformed we are (okay, at least me) that we should compare ourselves to the models in magazines.

I applaud Dove for being pro-age and for making these new commercials with regular women as their models. In a day and age when we see so much nudity not only on tv and in movies, but in magazines and on billboards, I just don't get why there is an outrage against these commercials. I agree with one person who commented in the discussion on the Dove website that perhaps the people against these ads are actually the "beauty" industry of make-up and botox and plastic surgery.

After all, if women loved their bodies as they are, that industry would no longer be around making mega millions each year on our self-hatred or desire to improve our looks. After all, how many women agree with Gabby on Desperate Housewives that "if I haven't got my looks in old age, what will I have?" Whatever happened to inner beauty shining through?

You can watch their commercial here:
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/

While I know that Dove is a business marketing beauty and that Dove is after our money, just as they all are, I do applaud them for being unconventional and turning the tide on "traditional" and socially acceptable beauty ads. They have succeeded in their goal of "Advertising that inspires women and society to think differently about what is defined as beautiful."

grATTITUDE

I want you all to click on this link and read the story. It is a story that will keep you thinking long after you reach the end of the words on your screen. I have to say that I think twice about making left turns. The cynics do not need to deconstruct the story, just enjoy it.

http://flyingbytheseatofmysoul.blogspot.com/2007/01/walking-through-life.html

If you enjoy Tess's blog, she's also written a book that is worth the read: Flying by the Seat of my Soul which is more like a friend talking to a friend about her life and what she's learned. I got a lot out of it and bought copies for some friends who also loved it. One more plug: you can sign up for her "Happiness Tips" that will come into your inbox on random days. I haven't found one yet that doesn't ring true (altho application of the tips is sometimes challenging!).

artwork: www.allposters.com

Old cabin

This old cluster of wooden cabins in Alberta (Canada) is one of my favorites to photograph. There are so many old cabins/barns/shacks in BC and Alberta that are still standing. Sadly though, many are being ruined not only by weather and time, but by people stealing boards for painting on. Paintings on barn board fetch amazing prices and it makes me want to scream whenever I see an old wooden building being pulled apart, one board at a time. However, these photographs were taken in February of this year and I am delighted that I noticed only natural decay. It was only about -10C but felt MUCH colder and actually was colder with windchill, and my fingers got so cold that the knuckles stopped bending so I had to stop taking pictures (boo) and run back to the warmth of the car (and turn up the heat until my joints warmed up enough to drive home!).

Natural decay of an old wooden building

Deer tracks

boeuf bourguignon

Our first night back in Paris, we walked down the Champs Elysee, stopping only when something of interest piqued our curiosity. This happened with a few of the high end car dealerships (keep dreaming!), Sephora, and when our tummies grumbled.

We found satiation at Georges V restaurant, sitting at a sidewalk table even though it was a chilly December night because they were thoughtful enough to put out heaters (ahhh, aren't the French nice!). When I saw the boeuf bourguignon on the menu, I knew I had to order it. You see, I have a long history with this french version of Beef Stew.

My grandmother, who I had to call "Grand-mere" is French-Canadian. Although she spoke English, she preferred French. She passed down to me some great recipes and among them is one that cannot be eaten without the accompanying story.

She cooked boeuf bourgiugnon. Whenever she did, no matter how old my dad was, he'd see it and explain "OH! Beef Stew!" Well, she'd throw her hands up in the air and begin a tirade in French, of which i will share that the meal had to be called by its French name. This charade caused my father endless amusement.

It continued when my mother began to cook the infamous BB. My Dad would sit down at the table and exclaim with a smile: "Hmmm. Beef Stew." My mother, a native English speaker who tried so hard to make the French meals and speak the French words, would counter: "No it's Boeuf Bourguignon. Your mother's recipe." Then my Dad would look over at us and wink.

It is with these happy memories that I ordered my BB in Paris one chilly December night. And I will say with pleasure that it was the best BB I have ever eaten in my life. Not that I don't have respect for the other recipe on which I grew up, but this one melted in my mouth. Hats off to that French chef! But maybe what made it so delicious was that as I ate it, I remembered other beef stews and other chefs in the kitchen.

In the Kitchen…

The place where my mom greeted us as we came home from school with warm chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven and cool milk in tall glasses.

The plate on the table I barely touched during my last meal as a single woman.

The lesson I learned during my first year of starry eyed marriage, that although I was making meals that were larger than I was used to cooking, they left you hungry…

Meant Saturday mornings me baking muffins and you frying bacon as we listened to “Vinyl Café” on CBC.

After returning from Europe I made my parents an authentic Italian meal.

Morning lattes.

How I showed you that I loved you.

Song of the day: Riley Armstrong ~ “The Table”

Dealing with Creative Blockheads

When I hear the word "blockhead" I think of Lucy yelling at Charlie Brown. I love Dave Duggins response to an artist's question on dealing with criticism. "The natural state of the universe is creativity. Your natural state is creativity. If I walked up to you and said, “You know, I really think you should stop breathing. You're not making any money at it,” would you actually stop? Could you?"

You can read the entire article on The Creativity Portal: http://www.creativity-portal.com/cca/david-duggins/critical-blockheads.html

I also absolutely love this quote: "Write like your life depends on it." Taken from this article of his: http://voidgunner.homestead.com/vv2.html

cherry blossom

I walked in the rain

dripping sky

falling

falling

I waded thru streams on concrete paths

thru the grey jungle where cloud meets firmament and

is greeted with hard cold stares

of people rushing, dashing, thru the cold, wet city

and

below me

as i sped thru the sky on a bullet (train)...

a

pink

blossom

ARTworkDISPLAYED

Art tip 101 :-)

This is a really fun way to get creative. I have to thank my artist friend Deltra (who is showcased in the Alberta Art Gallery right now!!!) for showing me this fun technique. It brought the words PLAY and FUN back into painting.

Here's a fun exercise that you can do no matter what you feel your skill level is: all you need to do is have a desire to have fun with paint. Gather up some circular containers (ex. baby food jars, yoghurt containers, paint lids). Place them on the canvas. Elevate the canvas a little by sticking a little box underneath it (so that the paint will flow in the direction you want it). Mix your colours and add water so that the colourful waterfall will flow down your canvas and around the objects you have placed. Wait for paint to dry. *leave objects on until paint is dry or semi dry. * neat effects happen when you take the objects off while there is still wet paint ~ it might fill in the circles. Repeat steps with new colour. Add effects, like splatter after paint is dry.

HAVE FUN!

the pink painting is my 3.5 year old niece's first painting on canvas. Isn't it spectacular! I'm so proud of her. She LOVES painting.

Wonder thrills

It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace.

Robert Service

I have seen Alberta, Canada in all 4 seasons and although this is not the Yukon of which the poet wrote, I can echo these lines for my Alberta.

March 1st (2007)

I'm not sure if March came in like a lion or a lamb. This morning I awoke to snow clouds covering the sky and a soft gentle snow of fluffy flakes falling to earth. Within a few hours, the sun was burning through the clouds until it shone in its winter glory despite the clouds holding back more snow in their grip. After another few hours of gentle snowfall with sunshine, the clouds won and kept the snow in their grip. The sun is now shining brightly upon the new still sparkling snowfall (diamonds only today).