Yeasty Mosaic at Disney's California Adventure

Yeasty Mosaic at Disney's California Adventure
Yeasty Mosaic at Disney's California Adventure

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Andy Warhol and the Car

I adore the car. It's much better than a work of art. ~~ Andy Warhol



What to do on a wintry day in Pittsburgh? Visit museums, of course.

On Saturday we had a chance to visit the Andy Warhol Museum  where the featured exhibit focuses on the artist's love of cars. With the widespread appeal of his soup cans and shots of celebs like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor (and the VW bug!), Warhol's artwork featuring cars is not as widely- known.

But sitting smack dab in the middle of the first floor exhibit hall at the museum on the city's North Shore is one of the commisioned BMW Art Cars painted by Warhol in colors and strokes to replicate movement in the 70s. Warhol insisted on making all of the brush strokes himself so this car is genuinely one-of-a-kind.

The exhibit runs till May 13. If you live close enough, jump in your own art car and ride on down to the museum. So much creativity in one spot!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Creative Spotlight: Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month. Feng Shui Expert Yvonne Phillips offers these suggestions to help all women be more relaxed, and therefore open to even more creativity in their lives.

Feng Shui for Women of this Century



What we read and have heard throughout our lives from the women who came before us seems to confirm that mid-life for the typical American female is a time of extraordinary stress. Not only are the physiological challenges at times hard to manage and understand, never mind mediate, the confluence of responsibilities for children, aging parents and career are enormous stressors assumed at a most vulnerable time in a woman’s life. How can women best create within their environments the clarity and flow that enables and amplifies optimal strength, health and adaptability to the many shifts within and without?

Feng Shui (FS) has many answers to this question and will provide for spaces and lifestyles that can more easily accommodate fluctuation, provide stability and magnify support and well-being.

When managing a household with children, particularly teens and college-aged kids, the key is defining space in a way that allows for privacy and retreat for over-worked moms. First, clear your space of all unwanted clutter and broken or damaged items. Do not allow the excess items to sit within your home, even if the piles are intended for charitable donation. Remove unwanted items immediately.

Decorate your bedroom and bath with subdued and calming colors, avoiding shades of blue in these as well as other areas of your home, as it gives the effect of “drowning” and too much “water” element within a home, including a blue exterior or roof, is considered very poor FS.

Focus on green hues and pale earth tones, and confine children’s and family photos to other areas of the home, keeping the bed and bath a sanctuary of relaxation and intimacy. Pictures with the kids can find the perfect place in the family corner of your shared living areas, as defined by the bagua map at http://www.creativecolordesigninc.com/. Set the tone even more by adding your favorite music, mementos and creating a spot within these spaces where you are surrounded by favorite scents and items of comfort and indulgence.

Your commitments may extend beyond children and spouse by middle years, so creating a true retreat atmosphere is of paramount importance. The fire element can be placed at the middle rear or back of your space; the fame and reputation area of the bagua map by implementing candles and creating a romantic spa environment within your bedroom or bath.

Finding a balance between being a nurturing support to aging parents and creating opportunities for self-nurturing is critical during middle-age.

Transitioning from work to home can be eased through proper FS and careful consideration of the energy in the entry to your house. Be sure it is tidy and free of shoes and other cast-offs. Free your porch or front steps of any items that block the energy leading to your door and remove all debris. Draw the eye to areas of beauty and cleanliness and clear all pathways to the two most important areas of the home, the kitchen and bedrooms.

FS will de-stress your spaces and enliven your sense of stability and well-being by creating positive flow and conditions which support the body, mind and spirit as they move through the many demanding arenas of our life passages.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Creative Spotlight: Charm Bracelets

Women love sparkly baubles, there is no doubt. Jewelers have capitalized on this notion for years, but some really smart ones have come up with a whole new way to feed women's need for charms to circle their wrists.

The new "memory" bead braclets are everywhere these days. I hadn't really paid attention until I saw one of my friend's this past summer. It was shimmering with all kinds of color and keepsakes, something that has always appealed to me.



This photo (above) is of my old charm bracelet from high school. It includes charms for my Sweet 16 birthday, for the musicals I was involved in (publicity committee, never center stage), my guitar and high school and team memorabilia too. Because of the sheer weight of the bracelet, I didn't wear it too much, but have kept it safely in a drawer all these years.


For Valentine's Day, I received one of the new style of charm bracelets and am enamored of it. It has a long way to go till it's filled up, but with Mother's Day and a birthday coming up in the spring, guess what I bet I will be receiving? That's nice to think about even as it's nice to look closely at my old charms and remember the times in my life they represent.

About Me

I am the creator of the web's premiere Baby Boomer site: Boom This: A Generational Thing!(www.boomthis.com)