Carnival of Animals at Bergdorf
18 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in Art and Crafts, Beauty and Fashion, Family, Fantasy Tags: artisan, design, designer labels, Glamour, handicrafts, holiday shopping, luxury, style
Money, if it does not bring you happiness,
will at least help you be miserable in comfort.
Helen Gurley Brown
More than the Rockefeller Christmas tree (which is looking extra fabulous this year,) the spectacle I look forward to seeing when the holidays roll around are the windows of Bergdorf Goodman.
This year’s Carnival of Animals by David Hoey‘s team is a mind blowing flight of fancy with brass birds, animals made of intricately hand cut/folded paper, needlework and carved wood, fish made of gemstones and glass mosaics, gowns with fur, fine beadwork, feathers, leather scales and diamond mesh by Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta, Pringle of Scotland, Valentino and Celine. With five windows overflowing with animals created by artists such as Sergio Bustamante and Brett Windham, my eyes did not know where to start and stop looking. Here are a few details to whet your appetite. Catch a glimpse of this fantastic vision before January 3rd.
Thanks to the countless artisans and artists who contributed to this monument of creativity and wealth–reminding us of other realities, an oasis from the obsession of “this economy.”
What riches (that money can’t buy) embellish the fabric of your life already?
© Sharon Birke
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
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Very Koi Body Painting
11 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Women Photography, Body Image, Unique Gift Ideas, Personalized Gifts, Health and Wellness, Body Painting, Art and Crafts, Party Ideas Tags: boudoir photography, creativity, gift giving, christmas, body painting, unique gift ideas, personalized gifts, holiday party, family gift giving, body art, artist date, inner artist, Julia Cameron, mother daughter, girlfriends
It is a paradox of creativity that
we must get serious about taking ourselves lightly.
We must work at learning to play.
“The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron recommends a weekly “artist date” to continually replenish our reservoir of creativity before we dredge a dried out bottom and feel stuck, blocked, or uninspired. An artist date is any activity that’s fun, enjoyable, akin to childlike play and exploration. My inner artist happens to be an uptown girl so for a recent artist date, I had to drag her kicking and screaming over the Brooklyn bridge to the new body painting studio of Danny Setiawan of www.DenArtNY.com (he’s matching me in red below.) And, Goddess, was she glad I did!
Models patiently stood/sat through a couple hours of being a human canvas–whoever wasn’t comfortable being topless covered her front torso with a scarf or halter top . My inner artist had not touched a brush in months. She quickly got carried away painting the biggest koi fish possible, extending the design all over my model’s forearms and the contours of her voluptuous body. After 3 hours of painting punctuated by fits of laughter and dancing, my model and I squeezed into the studio’se tiny bathroom where a wall of painted curls and swirls provided a matching graphic backdrop. The perfect souvenir for a most memorable afternoon.
Add body painting to your possibilities for playdates and unique gift ideas. Make a party out of it and ask Danny to bring his art to your venue!
Where will you take your inner artist on your next date?
© Sharon Birke
Photography for the Goddess in Every Wife & Mother
Powerful Goddess is a trademark of DoubleSmart LLC
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