#Ken 60th birthday | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

toldnews-blog · 5 years

Photo

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/lifestyle/the-chic-octogenarian-behind-barbies-best-looks/

The Chic Octogenarian Behind Barbie’s Best Looks

LOS ANGELES — Carol Spencer, 86, may be the most influential fashion designer you’ve never heard of.

In the mid-1960s, she made a red pencil skirt with a white sleeveless blouse that had red stitching and three red buttons down the front. Short white gloves came with it. Thousands sold.

In the 1970s, well aware that the counterculture’s loosening dress code and mores had made it to the mainstream, Ms. Spencer designed a red bandanna halter maxi-dress and a matching leisure shirt for men. Those designs were popular, too.

In the Nancy Reagan 1980s, Ms. Spencer aimed for high-end appeal, making a one-shouldered ball gown in blue jacquard with an organza flower at the nipped-in waist and a cape. One of Mrs. Reagan’s go-to couturiers personally approved the gown to be sold under his name: “Oscar de la Renta for Barbie.”

Ms. Spencer has made wedding dresses, saris, go-go boots and caftans. All in miniature. From 1963 to 1999, she was Barbie’s fashion designer, a career celebrated in her new book, “Dressing Barbie” (HarperDesign).

Ms. Spencer also made her own clothes, and had an easy time working with the doll’s famously unusual proportions, she said, because they weren’t so far from her own. “I have shrunk but in those days, I was tall and skinny,” she said. “I had a 16-inch waist and something on top, too, I sure did, but Barbie’s legs were better than mine.”

She was sitting in her dining room, wearing a blouse in a shade that can only be described as Barbie pink, with a Barbie brooch and a Barbie digital watch that legions of girls probably begged to get for Christmas in the 1990s.

It was a different body part that was most important for her job, Ms. Spencer said: “I have small hands.” She set down the Barbie teacup filled with lemonade she had been clasping to show her fingers. They are small and jut out at angles from the joint, a disfiguration likely caused by years of grasping little needles and bottles of glue.

In creating a wardrobe for Barbie and the entourage (Skipper, Ken, Midge, Big Jim, Baby Sister Kelly, Cara, Stacey, Christie, P.J., Steffie and Miss America), Ms. Spencer was part of a team that has inspired the work of designers including Bob Mackie, Nicole Miller, Jeremy Scott and Jason Wu, who once said he played with Barbie dolls when he was a child.

For a Moschino fashion show in Milan in 2014, Mr. Scott had a Barbie waiting on front-row chairs and sent models down the runway in blond bouffants and pink skirt suits.

Last month, to celebrate the doll’s 60th birthday, Mattel hosted a profusely pink Barbie bacchanal in New York City with Instagram-friendly Dream House backdrops, intended to draw in a new generation of fans who are too young to know that Barbie was the original influencer.

1. Ms. Spencer designed Ski Party Pink for Barbie in 1982. The sweater had Dolman sleeves and a cowl neck. In her ankle-strap high-heels, she was ready to hit the bars, not the slopes.

2. Released in 1979, this City Sophisticate outfit had a faux-fur-trimmed coat and skirt accented by a yellow soutache braid.

3. A Mattel employee accidentally ordered 2,500 yards of gold-and-white striped fabric, instead of 250 yards. Ms. Spencer’s 1965 Country Club Dance fashions made use of the excess.

4. The 1992 Totally Hair Barbie was one of Mattel’s best sellers. Ms. Spencer designed a Pucci-inspired mini.

5. Ms. Spencer wanted to create an “evening pajama” look for Barbie after Barbra Streisand wore a Scaasi version when accepting an Academy Award in 1969. Ms. Streisand’s outfit was see-through, so Ms. Spencer made Barbie special panties.

Saving the Dune Buggy

Even since her retirement, Ms. Spencer has devoted her time to Barbie. Inducted in 2017 into the Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Hall of Fame, she has spent her golden years attending Barbie collectors events, doing research and amassing artifacts.

For years she has worked on “Dressing Barbie,” which is sized for a coffee table and subtitled “A Celebration of the Clothes That Made America’s Favorite Fashion Doll, and the Incredible Woman Behind Them.” Laurie Brookins, a writer and stylist, helped Ms. Spencer with the project.

The book combines styled vintage fashion photography with memoir. Born in 1932 and raised in Minneapolis, Ms. Spencer rejected the wife-and-mother path that prevailed in the American midcentury and instead made a career for herself. “I truly fell in love with Barbie the first moment I created her clothes and accessories,” she writes in the book.

Barbie has been a go-to emblem of all that has ill-served girls and young women in American culture. Living in a world that is almost exclusively white, the doll has breasts that are disproportionately large compared with her hips, and her feet are contorted into a permanent “floint” (short for flexing your toes back as you point the rest of your foot).

Her hair seems to be bleached blond, never with dark (or gray) roots. At times she dressed the part of a doctor or politician but has seemed unable to hold down a job. And there’s the place in Malibu. Does it come from a trust fund or Ken?

But Ms. Spencer would like to counterpunch the Barbie bashing. She points out the doll’s humble origins, with her proportions modeled after paper dolls cut from newspapers. She also defends Barbie as a healthy alternative to video games; an engine of imagination for girls and boys, who can project onto a Barbie doll whoever they may wish to become.

“It’s wholesome play,” she said, as she pulled from a case one of the many hundreds of dolls in her home. This one was wearing a yellow chiffon-like pleated tunic with see-through pajama pants, inspired by the Arnold Scaasi transparent ensemble Barbra Streisand wore to the 1969 Oscars when she won a best actress award for “Funny Girl.”

Ms. Spencer’s house is filled with books like “Barbie: Her Life and Times” and “Dream Doll: the Ruth Handler Story,” about Ms. Handler, who, with her husband, Elliot, and Harold Matson, founded Mattel in 1945. The Barbie fashion doll was released in 1959.

Over a cluttered desk are posters of Barbie, like one showing the same image of the original 1959 doll, displayed against four different bright backgrounds, à la Warhol. (It was made to celebrate Mattel’s 35th Anniversary Barbie Festival, in 1994.)

Ms. Spencer is a scavenger for treasures in a toss-everything world. One day at the Mattel offices, then located in Hawthorne, Calif., she noticed someone was about to throw away an important piece of Barbie memorabilia.

“It was the prototype for Barbie’s dune buggy,” she said. “They were tossing it, and I said, ‘Would you toss it my way?’”

She learned thrift as a child. “During World War II, things were scarce and I remember the family would get the Sunday paper,” Ms Spencer said. “When they’d get through with it, they’d hand me the comic pages so that I could cut out the paper dolls.”

She began to create paper fashion for these paper dolls. Soon she was making her own clothes. But being a fashion designer didn’t seem like a realistic goal in those days, she recalled. “You could be a teacher, nurse, secretary or clerk,” she said. “But wife and mother were the big ones.”

She was engaged to a medical student but when she realized she was expected to work to help pay for education before quitting to be a “doctor’s wife,” she broke the engagement. Then she enrolled at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where she got a bachelor of fine arts with a focus on fashion design.

In May 1955, as she was about to graduate, she received a telegram from New York letting her know that her application for a “guest editor” slot at Mademoiselle magazine had been approved. Instead of sticking around for her commencement ceremony, Ms. Spencer took her first plane trip and moved in to the Barbizon Hotel for Women, for a month.

During her time in New York, she attended a reception at the home of the cosmetics entrepreneur Helena Rubinstein, visited the recently opened United Nations, danced with West Point cadets at the St. Regis hotel and interviewed the designer Pauline Trigère in her studio.

Ms. Spencer was in the same class of Mademoiselle guest editors as Joan Didion. “It was about as far from Minneapolis as you could get,” she writes.

She returned to her hometown to work, designing children’s wear for Wonderalls Company and then moved to Milwaukee to become a “misses” sportswear designer.

In late 1962, Ms. Spencer spotted an advertisement in Women’s Wear Daily. “A national manufacturer who leads its industry with annual sales in excess of $50 million seeks a cost-conscious fashion designer-stylist for its suburban Los Angeles facility.”

She sent a résumé and heard nothing back. Still, sensing this mysterious job was her destiny, she and her aunt packed up their 1959 Ford Fairlane and drove across the country to California.

In April 1963, she saw an ad in the California Apparel News for the same job, and this time her application got a response. It was from Mattel, the toymaker already known for the postwar bombshell: Barbie.

Ms. Spencer went to the company headquarters for an interview and was asked to make a suite of outfits for this creature. She made a halter-top-and-boy-short bikini, a one-piece in the same shade of orange-pink. There was a cover-up and a wrap skirt. She got the job.

Pink Pills Nixed

At that time, Mattel made about 125 different outfits a year for Barbie, and the fashion department, run by Charlotte Johnson, could be cutthroat.

“Charlotte had a theory,” Ms. Spencer said. “If you have four designers, you put them in four corners. And it was always competitive and you were pitching your product. Sometimes the competition was kind of dirty.”

How so? She wouldn’t say. “I’m out of it, I’m retired, I’m enjoying life, I’ll put it that way,” she said, and she took a sip of lemonade from her Barbie teacup.

Some of her early successes, all of which she has cataloged, included Country Club Dance (a white and gold striped gown), From Nine to Five (a midcalf blue dress with an embroidered vest and hair scarf) and Debutante Ball (an aqua satin gown with a fur stole).

Ms. Spencer took her cue from the culture around her. As the Jane Fonda aerobics craze of the 1980s took off, Barbie got a purple leotard and leg warmers. When NASA’s space shuttle exploration was in full tilt, Barbie became an astronaut (albeit one in thigh-high boots and silver capes).

And there was inspiration from her own life as well. When she needed a biopsy on her breast, Ms. Spencer was transfixed by the white coats doctors wore. The biopsy was negative, but the fashion was positive. Guess who became, however briefly, a surgeon?

There were missteps too, like when she gave Dr. Barbie a case of pink pills without knowing that at that time pink pills were known to be methamphetamines. “Let me tell you, that caused quite a stir,” she said. (Her faux pas was caught before Meth-Head Barbie made its way to children’s dollhouses.)

There are hundreds and hundreds of designs that are Carol Spencer originals, with only a small portion bearing her name. Until the mid-1990s, Mattel didn’t put designer names on Barbie’s packaging.

But Ms. Spencer remembers each of her creations, and many of them are in her home, which her sister, Margaret, 88, will be moving into soon. But even though Ms. Spencer gets out less these days, and relies on a walker to take more than a few steps, she said she feels surrounded by good company.

“You’re never alone when you have dinner at my house,” she said. “Barbie is always with you.”

#e news lifestyle #healthy lifestyle news report #lifestyle audit news #lifestyle news feed #lifestyle news ghana #lifestyle news hindi #lifestyles #national lifestyle villages news #odia lifestyle news #the lifestyle newshound instagram

3 notes · View notes

putschki1969 · 6 years

Text

Japan ~ Summer 2018 #2 🎌🚅

Quick introduction: Hello my lovlies!! As most of you might already know, I went to Japan this summer. It was a rather spontaneous decision based on the fact that both Hikaru and Wakana had announced their solo lives. At that point I was suffering from a serious case of Kalafina withdrawal so I felt like I had no choice but to go. I just needed to see them. Also, it was my 30th birthday so I thought I would treat myself. You only turn 30 once, right? On a side note, the timing finally gave me the opportunity to do something I had wanted to do for a few years now. Climb Mount Fuji. o(〃＾▽＾〃)o So yeah, that’s the backstory of my trip. I stayed in Japan from July 30 till August 14 and pretty much my entire trip was dedicated to Kalafina Pilgrimage. Let me tell you this, it was by far the best summer vacation of my life, worth each and every penny! And believe me, there were a LOT of pennies involved XD

Notes: Once again this is coming pretty late but not as late as my previous travel report so that’s a good thing. It took some time to gather my thoughts and put them all into words. This report will be a bit different from the last one since I thought it would be nice to include some travel tips here and there. I guess you could see this as some sort of travel guide/Kala-guide. Many of my followers have never been to Japan so I guess some general info would be useful to make things easier for you if you ever decide to travel to Japan.

Please note that this is Part 2 of my report. It is dedicated to my time in Toyama. Part 1 can be found HERE!

Without further ado, let’s get to it 〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

Aug 4 (Sat) ~ Toyama Trip

I decided I would dedicate that entire day to a Toyama trip. I made the mistake of not reserving a seat in advance for the shinkansen. I usually always do that but for some reason I didn’t think the train to Toyama would be that frequented. Turns out I was wrong (at least when it comes to the fast bullet train - the Kagayaki). When I got to Ueno that morning I was planning to take one of the earlier trains but it was already completely booked out. Later on I found out that Aug 4/5 was the Toyama Matsuri weekend so it's really no surprise that all the shinkansen seats had already been reserved. I ended up getting a ticket for the 10:14 Kagayaki which meant I would arrive in Toyama around noon (a little later than planned but oh well, there was nothing that could be done about it). It was my first time taking the Hokuriku Shinkansen so I splurged a little on a fancy ekiben °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖° For those of you who don’t know, ekibens are bento boxes sold at train stations. You can eat them on a long shinkansen ride. There are so many different types to choose from. But I’d personally recommend the one I got. The E7 Bento Box. Like many others, the Hokuriku shinkansen has a very distinctive look so of course, it also has its very own bento box XD And boy, is it a cute box! Perfect to keep as a souvenir. And the good thing about it, there’s mostly stuff in it that I actually eat (I am a VERY picky eater!). The special Ueno Coca Cola bottle is also cute as hell btw!

The ride to Toyama takes a little over two hours I think. I arrived around noon (maybe at 12:30 or something). Shortly before I arrived I realised that I had forgotten my USB cable. I brought my charging battery but it was useless to me without a USB cable At that point I had already used my phone quite extensively and my battery was at around 60%. I was already starting to panic a little because I had all these plans for Toyama but they required me to use google maps, without google maps to rely on, I wouldn’t be able to find ANY of the places I wanted to visit. When I arrived I was greeted by a gorgeous little street festival, right outside of Toyama Station there were lots of people gathering around a handful of dance groups. It was quite pretty and spectacular. But at that point I was already scared to use my phone for anything except google maps so I didn’t take any pictures. *sobs* Such a shame. First I made my way to the Nanakosi shop that sells those pastries Hikaru mentioned in the 10th Anniversary Film. It’s located inside the Sōgawa Ferio Grand Plaza which is about a 20 min walk away from Toyama Station. Usually 20 min is nothing for me and I always try to explore new areas on foot but man, it was hell to go there. It was really hot that day and my battery was dropping faster than expected in the heat. Google maps was constantly crashing on me and it didn’t seem to work properly. I kept going the wrong way (please note that I have no sense of direction whatsoever). So yeah, I was a mess. Frantically I was trying to find a shop that sold USB cables but for some reason I had a really hard time finding one. Usually they sell those in conbinis but I couldn’t even find one of those. Plus, I was scared to venture too far away from my route since I thought I might get lost. Thank God I eventually managed to find a 100 yen shop. They have everything, including USB cables. After that I was able to relax and focus on my Hikaru pilgrimage.

So yeah, like I said, I was walking towards Ferio Grand Plaza. On my way there I passed Toyama Castle. It’s a nice little castle with a small garden but nothing to write home about. When I arrived at Grand Plaza I was greeted by yet another festival. A nice little wind ensemble was playing popular songs such as “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid, it was quite epic. They were all wearing uniforms, it was some sort of commemorative event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Toyama police department band or something .

Grand Plaza is a really nice gathering place that’s protected by a glass ceiling but it’s still outdoors. It’s a wide open space and often used as venue for events like the one mentioned above. While enjoying the concert I bought myself one of those infamous Nanakosi pastries.

I got the one with custard because I am not a fan of the standard bean filling. I’ll be real with you, it wasn’t all that great (sorry, Pika-chan T_T). I think it might be more enjoyable in winter but during a hot summer day it was just too much (and that’s coming from someone who can usually eat a lot of sweet stuff). There was just too much filling. It was a struggle to finish it. Afterwards I walked around the Ferio Grand Plaza area a bit to find the Doutor Coffee shop that Hikaru had worked at in her student days. It’s very close to the Nanakosi shop so everyone should be able to find it quickly. It’s the Toyama Sōgawa shop in case any of you want to check it out ( 〒930-0083 Toyama-ken, Toyama-shi, Sōgawa, 3 Chome−5−４アキオビル 1F).

My next stop was the Yamaha Music Center which was also mentioned in the 10th Anniversary Film. It’s only a 10-minute walk from Grand Plaza (although I took a lot longer because google maps was messing with me again or maybe I was just too stupid to follow the directions, I don’t know). At any rate, the center is a little hidden away in the backstreets of Toyama so it wasn’t exactly easy to find. Of course the heat made everything seem a lot worse XD. Here’s the address for those of you who want to go there one day => 富山音楽センター〒930-0049 富山県富山市豊川町５-６

Then it was time to head north, to Kansui Park. You simply follow the river for about 30 minutes and then you are there, it felt really nice to walk along the riverside, the trees were providing some shade, there was a nice breeze so close to the water and you could listen to the cicadas singing. Oh boy, I underestimated how loud they could actually get. I had never heard them before because I always travel to Japan in the winter time.

Kansui Park is absolutely gorgeous! This is where Kalafina performed during the Stardust Illusion Festival. I summarised Hikaru’s blog post from that day. She talks about how that was one of the most special lives for her so of course I had to go and see where it took place. Hikaru also mentioned the infamous Kansui Park Starbucks which is known for its lovely terrace views. And really, it DID have some nice views. I took a little break there and tried to cool down with a cold drink. Afterwards I headed to Aubade Hall, the venue of Hikaru’s dreams. She has mentioned in a couple of blog posts that ever since she was little she always wanted to perform there. And Kalafina did end up performing there twice. Once back in 2015 for their fotw tour and then last year for their 9+ONE tour. It’s about 10 minutes away from Kansui park, pretty close to Toyama Station actually. Here’s the address => Aubade Hall (Toyama City Art and Culture Hall), 9-28 Ushijimacho, Toyama, Toyama Prefecture 930-0858, Japan

Then I wanted to have some dinner and I thought about going to the Izakaya that Kalafina always go to when they are in Toyama. It’s called Soratobu Usagi which pretty much means Flying Bunny XD. You can even check out their signatures at the bar. It’s quite cool. BUT I decided against it since they only have seafood and I don’t really eat seafood. So I slowly headed back to the station and ordered some gyoza (because I always crave gyoza XD) at a random restaurant. I finally got to relax after walking around in the heat (I didn’t really walk that much but it felt like I had run a marathon due to the humidity). While watching the sunset I ate my yummy giant gyoza and then I took the train back to Tokyo.

❗ Some tips ❗

Always bring your charging battery AND a USB cable

Conbinis and 100 yen stores have everything in case you are ever in need of a random product

Always reserve your shinkansen seat tickets in advance. It’s best to reserve them at least a day ahead if you are planning to travel during communiting hours or during the weekend.

Prepare an itinerary so you don’t waste your time going back and forth between locations. I started with the lower part of Toyama and visited all the places in that area. Then my plan was to head north where another bunch of places were located. Do your research before you travel and life will become so much easier. You can lose track of all the places you wanna visit if you don’t have an itinerary and then you might end up having regrets because you didn’t get to see everything you wanted to see. I mean, you don’t have to strictly stick to your plan but just see it as a sort of guideline.

When you are taking the shinkansen splurge on an ekiben. Yes, I know they are totally overpriced but really, they are pertty delicious most of the time and it’s just part of the shinkansen experience.

Aug 5 (Sun) ~ Lazy Shopping Day

I didn’t actually do much on that day. After all I wanted it to be a relaxing holiday and not just one exhausting trip after the other. Plus, the heat really took a toll on me so I felt like I needed some downtime. So yeah, I just did some shopping (mostly window shopping) and eating. I walked around Tokyo Station and happened across an IENA store. Guess what I found there? Yup, Hikaru’s blouse, right in front of me. In my previous post I mentioned that I originally wasn’t planning to buy it since it was just way too expensive. But after climbing Mount Fuji and after celebrating my 30th birthday I just felt like I deserved a treat. I realise I have said the same thing about my nail salon appointment but oh well, you only live once. So yup, that’s the story of how I ended up buying the blouse even though I was initially not intending to.

This was me during the entire trip.👇

The rest of the day was spent in all kinds of shopping malls in Shibuya/Shinjuku. I am actually quite proud that I didn’t buy anything else. But on this trip I really wanted to focus on Kalafina so I didn’t feel the need to spend money on random clothes or accessories. But I always enjoy just looking at stuff. We don’t have any of these malls here in Vienna (at least not in those huge dimensions) so it’s a cool experience to check everything out. To wrap up the day, I had some yummy dinner and then I headed back to the hotel to pack for my upcoming trip to Fukuoka.

#kalafina #personal #kalafina guide #food guide #toyama #tokyo #japan #travel diary #these posts always turn out longer than expected #this series is gonna have so many parts #it might take me till next year to finish #but I think it's a nice way to forever treasure these memories

23 notes · View notes

scotianostra · 3 years

Photo

Happy 60th Birthday the popular Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, born in Maryhill, Glasgow April 14th 1961.

Vying for most popular post of the day from me, with Peter Capaldi already over 100 notes, “Bobby” was brought up in Glasgow, the son of Elizabeth, a bus company employee, and Joseph Carlyle, a painter and decorator. His mother left when Carlyle was four years old and his dad looked after him from then. He left school at the age of 16 without any qualifications and worked for his father as a painter and decorator; however, he continued his education by attending night classes at Cardonald College in Glasgow.

Carlyle became involved in drama at the Glasgow Arts Centre at the age of 21 (having been inspired by reading Arthur Miller’s The Crucible), and subsequently graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In 1991, he and four friends founded a theatre company, Raindog (named after Tom Waits’ album “Rain Dog,” one of Carlyle’s favourites) (a company dedicated to innovative work then, which is now primarily involved in television and film work), and guest starred in The Bill. The same year he starred in his first movie, Riff-Raff, directed by Ken Loach.

I first noticed Carlyle in the excellent ITV series Cracker, as murderer Albert “Albie” Kinsella, it wasn’t long after this he had a series of his own with Hamish Macbeth, the dope smoking village bobby in a quiet Scottish town on the west coast, the series ran for three seasons from 1995 to 1997.

Since then Robert Carlyle has been able to pick and choose his roles, his films include, The World is Not Enough, Plunkett & Macleane, Ravenous, 28 Weeks later and of course as Francis “Franco” Begbie in the two Trainspotting films. On the small screen we have seen him in as the title role in Adolf : The Rise of Evil, Human Trafficking and The Last Enemy on this side of the Atlantic, in the US he has starred in the TV movie 24, SGU Stargate Universe and the continuing Once Upon a Time.

Carlye was last on our screens in a mini series reboot of War of the Worlds, and is in the Sky One political drama Cobra, which started filming a second series last November. There's nothing else on the horizon for Bobby as far as I can see at present.

#Scotland #scottish #actor #happy birhtday

53 notes · View notes

deweyduck · 2 years

Note

Hey Christie! It's your friendly gcwca secret Santa! I hope you're having a wonderful day! What's your favorite Barbie and Ken moment?

hi!!!!! yay i'm so hyped for gcwca secret santa!!!!!!!!

it's hard for me to pick just one moment bc there's so many but my fave episode of dreamhouse adventures is called "time will tell" and all their scenes in that are super adorable 🥺 it really captures their relationship dynamic of childhood best friends who are coming to terms with their feelings for each other 🥰

also this vlog they made to celebrate ken's 60th birthday this year was so sweet 😭😭😭 barbie and ken's official birthdays are only 2 days apart so i like to think they've had joint birthday parties together since they were little 💞

#thank you for indulging me and my idiots secret santa i love them sm #gcwca secret santa #ask

11 notes · View notes

lifeinplasticblog · 3 years

Photo

Ken is 60!

14 notes · View notes

iwantunique · 4 years

Text

Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019

Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: Christmas holiday shopping can be a mess and at the same time a headache too; because even after so much of plannings, preparations on your shopping list, there’s no guarantee that your Christmas gift ideas will be a huge hit under the Christmas tree! People who even have everything will admire these latest and chic gift ideas. But why worrying so much when we guarantee you the most popular Christmas presents 2019, this very season! Without further looking, shop from our picks of the best Christmas gifts 2019 as you won’t be able to deny the uniqueness of these gifts which you’ll be gifting to your loved ones. These popular selections will still land perfectly to assure that your research and selection for the best gifts to your family and friends were top-notch. Do direct shopping from your website crowded with the most popular Christmas presents 2019 to witness stylish trendy ideas for your mom, dad, wife, husband, friends, co-workers, and many more people that you love in your life. You’ll be lucky enough if these best unique gifts won’t burn a hole in your pocket and also are the best affordable finds that you’ll ever find. Check out our gift guide which makes a full-proof memorable day of your special ones with these most popular Christmas presents 2019. About Most popular Christmas presents 2019 1.Women's Printed Tassel Open front Poncho Cape Cardigan Wrap Shawl About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: 50% polyester & 50% acrylic.The fabric is soft and thick. It's reversible, cozy and warm. The generous size to keep you warm, a great alternative to coat or jacket.This Multi Pattern Poncho is Great for Year Round Wear for the Ultimate Fashionist.The painted design will reveal your unique glamour and the original tailoring will show your elegance.Free size:130cm/51.1inchX150cm/59inch.

Promising review: "This thing is absolutely awesome. It looks exactly like the pictures - I definitely received exactly what was described. It’s warm, nice and flowy, a nice long length. I’m 5’9” and in the back, it stops around the back of my thighs (covers my back end perfectly). Which is perfect for me, but I’d imagine if you’re on the shorter side, it may be too long for you. But if you’re a fellow tall girl, you’re in luck (: it’s really soft and cozy! " I immediately put it on and fell in love. I can’t wait to order more in different patterns. And (I ordered the pink-ish colored one with the Aztec print on the back and black and white trimmed edges. It looks identical to the photo) also, I’m wearing black leggings right now and I’m not experiencing any shedding from this material what so ever. Maybe the other commenters just didn’t have the best luck, but, all is well here. --Rachel Get it from Amazon for $24.80 2. Me DNA Test - Health + Ancestry Personal Genetic Service Me PGS test includes health predisposition and carrier status reports. Health predisposition reports include both reports that meet FDA requirements for genetic health risks and the 23andMe Type 2 Diabetes health predisposition report which is based on 23andMe research and has not been reviewed by the FDA. The use of qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks and reporting carrier status. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person's overall risk of developing the disease.

Promising review: "Excellent, but I would get the $99 kit over the $199 one. Then go to Promethease.com and dna.land.com and import your results (when they're available from 23andMe), For $5.00 they give you loads of medical and other misc. insights from your genetic information. Importing is quick and easy, do it right from the Promethease website (links to 23andMe directly and grabs your data. DNA.land requires you to upload data yourself). Just be sure to download a copy of the final results to your computer for future reference (as Promethease will automatically delete information from their servers after 4 months). DNA.LAND is free (it's a research project) well worth the extra effort and produces some more interesting results."--Ken Get it from Amazon for $199.00 3. Wooden Family Birthday Reminder Calendar Board About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: What You Get:1x Birthday Tracker Plaque, 50x Wooden Circles, 50x Wooden Hearts, 100x Metal Ring Fasteners, 1x Jute Twine, 1x Wall Utility Hook. PLEASE NOTE: Markers are not included.It Keeps All Family Birthdays In One Place! Help Grandmother & Grandfather & Grandson & Granddaughter & Kids & Mother & Father & Mother-in-law & Father-in-law Keep Track of everyone’s Birthdays. Do not worry anymore that they are having trouble remembering the family’s birthdays.Classroom Birthday Display: Visible to remember birthdays. You can use this birthday calendar to track students’ birthdays. Write all their names and birthdays on the wooden circles and hearts, hang it on the wall, and you won’t forget!Funs Gifts of Grandparents & Grandkids & Parents & Children for Mother Day & Father Day & Children’s Day. Also available for Christmas Gifts and Birthday Presents!Visible to Remember Family and Friends Birthdays. If You Have A Large Family, this is exactly what you need to keep track of all the family birthdays & anniversaries & special events & important dates.

Promising review: "Excellent quality, awesome customer service. I had ordered a similar item from a different company and it was basically junk! This one DOES Come with MARKERS, wall hook & hanging rope, heart & circle tags with connecting rings. Makes a perfect & unique gift! Very pleased with this purchase and I'm kind of jealous of the person I'm giving it to now lol"--Tracy Eilts Get it from Amazon for $20.01 4. My Favorite Child Gave Me This Cup An awesome and useful gift to coffee lovers or tea drinkers for Mother's Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, holidays, bday, inexpensive holiday gift, cute gift basket, valentine’s day, father’s day, your anniversary, white elephant gift exchange, secret Santa, work party, retirement, inappropriate naughty humor, 30th 40th 50th 60th 65th 70th 75th 80th gift, funniest creative small gifts. About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: Perfect Novelty Gift：20 oz double-wall stainless steel coffee mug tumbler with the funny message, “ my favorite child gave me this cup” print on the front to remind them that they are celebrating the father's day and mother's day.The Perfect Gift For Mom&Dad: our mom&dad, you're my favorite mom&dad funny tumbler makes a cute present for a mom from her child; reminds her that she is your favorite every time she uses the tumbler.Premium Quality And Double Wall Vacuum Insulated：made only from the highest quality premium 304 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, highly resistant to rust and break, and easy to clean by hand.those funny travel wine tumbler is finished with high-quality printing. our double-wall insulation protects temperature for up to 9 hours cold and 3 hours hot.Durable and BPA FREE: constructed of 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, this travel tumbler is unbreakable and built to last. it is highly resistant to rust and puncture. the BPA free clear lid that seals tightly keeps spills under control and allows you to see inside the package also includes 2 stainless steel straws, 2 tumbler BPA Free lids, a cleaning brush, and a unique gift box.Too Many Uses: this mug tumbler can help maintain your drink’s temperature for a long time, which makes the ideal companion for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, wine, cocktails, mixed drinks, champagne, juice, hot or ice coffee, water, tea, etc.

Promising review: " Nice quality tumbler. Very nice gift for family. It comes with 2 lids and 2 straws. keeps items both cold and hot for certain hours"--Kaur Get it from Amazon for $25.99 5. Grandma Gifts Locket Necklace | Mother Daughter Necklace Floating Charm Locket It is a group of Moms who love jewelry and love their families. Our jewelry is full of messages that express that love between Mom and Grandma, Daughters and Mothers, Sister to Sister and all the rest of our circles of love. We create original quality charms and message plates for you to be able to give a gift that has significant meaning to the one you want to connect with. About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: MESSAGE: "The best thing about having you as Mom is my kids having you as a Grandma" is engraved on the floating message plate that goes in this locket.WHAT'S IN THE BOX? 1- Our Authentic gold etched stainless steel and glass magnetic locket and 22-inch chain 2- All of the charms pictured 3- Message Plate 4- Full set of 12 Birthstone color crystals 5- Birthstone color chartYOU ARE THE DESIGNER: A Touch of Dazzle is the originator of the floating locket theme set. We give you a full set of charms and crystals, more than can possibly fit in the locket at one time. Why? We want you to have fun with your charm locket! Choose as many or as few to put in your locket.CRAFTED WITH LOVE: Each charm and message plate is designed by our artist, Goldie and is hand-painted. You will love the quality and beauty of this charm locket Mother's necklace. Each locket necklace, together with the charms, birthstones, and plates are carefully gift boxed in our signature gold and black boxes. They are a Mom Necklace, Gift for Grandma and Gifts for Mom from daughter.WARRANTY: We are a small US company run by Moms. We love producing quality jewelry for you to enjoy for years to come. We offer an unconditional 60-day warranty, just contact us if you have any concerns.

Promising review: " This was just what I was looking for! It’s well made, easy to fill, and arrived promptly."--Andrea French Get it from Amazon for $19.99 6. Lucky To Call You My Mom Wood Picture Frame Holds 4x6 Inch Photo This picture frame is an ideal gift for any mother. Show your love for mom or grandma with this laser engraved wood picture frame. This picture frame makes a classic gift for years to come. About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: This picture frame makes a classic gift for years to come.The frame fits a 4x6 INCH picture.A GREAT GIFT FOR ANY OCCASION: Mother's Day, Birthday, Christmas, ValentinesDesign is laser engraved into the wood surface. The design will never fade or fall off like printed products.The frame has a folding easel on the back and hangers to hang the frame on the wall.

Promising review: " I ordered this frame after another seller flubbed a delivery twice and am glad I got this particular frame. The wood and glass are good quality and it looks very nice - it helps that I found a perfect picture to place in it. "--xplainer guy Get it from Amazon for $19.95 7. Mom, I Love You to The Moon and Back Engraved 3D Printed Moon Lamp Each individual moon lamp has gone through a rigorous 26+ hour 3D printing process using state-of-the-art technology. The design is made according to NASA satellite images to accurately reproduce the moons actual surface and craters. About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: 🌖 SAFE & RELIABLE: Adopting Low Voltage USB Charging And Energy Efficient LED Light Bulb, The Lamp Stays Cool Even After Long Time Use and Gives Off Fliker-free Soft Light Which Would Not Hurt Eyes. By Using PLA Material Extracted from Corn Stalks, The Lamp is Odorless and Non-toxic.🌖 TOUCH CONTROL & MEMORABLE BRIGHTNESS: Two brightness levels settings of dim to bright, white and yellow lighting color to match your mood or any occasion. Easily adjust brightness and color by taping the smart touch on the button. The touch lamps add lighting memory function to save your last setting for convenience.🌖 RECHARGEABLE NIGHT LIGHT: Built-in rechargeable battery provides 6-8 hours illumination depending on brightness. Standard USB charging port for PC, charger and mobile devices, etc. USB-chargeable for use anytime, anywhere. The cordless table lamps make it easy and convenient for outdoor and home decoration.🎁 UNIQUE PERSONALIZED MOM BIRTHDAY GIFTS & MOONLIGHT IN THE ROOM: A great customized birthday present for stepmom mother in law. Creative decorative night light for home, kids bedroom, living room, dining room, college dorm and create a wonderful atmosphere beyond your expectations. Comes in a box, presenting the real moon surface with 3D Printing technology.

Promising review: " Ordered this for my mother in law’s birthday, I included three pics of it. One with it off, and each of the color settings for the light. Comes batteries in ready to go, the base of it is touch-sensitive so you only have to put your finger on it to turn it on (if anyone’s looking for disability-friendly gifts it’s a big selling point!) really lovely, cannot wait I see her reaction but until then this gets an easy five stars from me."--Sam Turner Get it from Amazon for $39.95 8. Christmas Apron With Pot Holder, Oven Mitt and Kitchen Towel This Christmas with Family, Friends and Magnus Mary Christmas Apron Set! Gift this Cute Christmas Present to Your Mother, Wife, Mother in Law, Sister or Friend Who Loves to Cook. Christmas Kitchen Gift Set includes Christmas Cooking Apron, Kitchen Towel, Pot Holder, and Oven Mitt. Light beige cooking apron with holiday red in-scripture. “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” printed on chest. 33” L x 27” W. Adjustable neck strap to eliminate the hassle of tying. Two front pockets. Kitchen Towel: Light beige with holiday red in-scripture. “Peace Love Joy” printed on the bottom right of the towel. 28” L x 17” W. Pot Holder: Light beige with holiday red and white. This is Holiday Kitchen Linen Set is # Perfect holiday present for mother, Christmas Gifts, Christmas present for wife,Oven mitt,Towel, pot holder, present for women, Christmas kitchen towels.

Promising review: " This unique gift set brought vibrancy in our kitchen with Christmas colors. Kids love when I cook breakfast wearing this set. Best quality apron ever :-). Definitely superior to what I got from Macy's last month. On Top - gift set came with a cotton towel, mitt and pot-holder....feels like early Thanksgiving, early Christmas!!! "--Victoria Johnson Get it from Amazon for $28.99 9. Funny Wine Glass For Women | Mommy Juice 16 oz Eye-catching text meticulously etched (not printed) into the glass so that it never wears off. This glass is the perfect sippy cup for mommy juice to accessorize your mama on her big day - whether you're celebrating Mother's Day or wishing her a Happy Birthday. Its generous 17-ounce size allows the wine to breathe and fully develop the rich bouquet of flavors from wines you would expect from fine crystal. Yet, this wine glass makes for a great gift under $20! This isn’t a cheap novelty gag gift. This is quality, hand-blown, dishwasher-safe glassware that is perfect for use as your daily wine glass. All Bevvee glasses are individually boxed and protected for safe delivery, no matter how much they're tossed around. The carefully etched text will never wear off with heavy washing. Each letter was engraved by hand by skilled artisans in our small shop in Northern Colorado.

Promising review: " This was the perfect gift for my niece, a mother of 2 little kids. She absolutely loved it, opened a bottle of wine, and started using it right away!"--Joni Get it from Amazon for $15.97 10. Christmas Bracelets Gifts Rose Lover Rose Gold Plated Cuff Bangle Peach roses reflect desire and excitement. The peach rose means that love is anxiously budding, you need to hurry to catch up to romance! Rose gold is a color scheme of gold and copper, elegantly symbolizes the union of two to become one and the promise of a lifetime. About This Most Popular Christmas Presents 2019: ♥ Valentine's Day Gifts for Her ♥ Inspired by the Rose which signifies romantic and love, this cuff bracelet is a great gift of love, perfect Valentine's day gifts for girlfriend wife mom daughter to say "I love you". Search "qianse rose lover" to find the whole set (necklace and earrings).♥ Bracelet Metal ♥ Eco-friendly Rose Gold Plated Zinc alloy, Hypoallergenic, Lead-Free & Nickle-Free, Passed Swiss SGS Inspection Standard. Made with Swarovski crystals: crystals are supplied by Swarovski but used by our own designers and manufactured in our own workshops. This jewelry belongs to QIANSE Jewelry, not Swarovski.♥ Bracelet Warranty ♥ 30-day money-back guarantee for any reason; 12-month warranty for quality-related issues. If there is any problem with your purchase, please feel free to contact us, we will help to fix the problem. Thank you!♥ Swarovski Crystal Bracelet ♥ This is NOT a Swarovski product but a piece made with Swarovski Crystal. Qianse has its aspiring designers in France. We purchased Swarovski Crystals as raw material and skillfully manufactured in our independent workshops.♥ Bangle Bracelet Craft ♥ Stones are inlaid under a microscope by a top-level master. ▲Missing stones sometimes happen when being delivered with many turns and stops. Just contact us and we will assist you in finding a solution promptly!

Promising review: " This bracelet is absolutely stunning. Honestly, it is much prettier than I originally expected based on the pictures. The pink heart makes this a perfect gift for someone special, although I bought this for myself. If you love rose gold (like I do) this bangle is definitely a must-have! "--Skinny Latte Mommy Get it from Amazon for $26.99 Read the full article

0 notes

virgilsongs · 3 years

Text

Virgil’s Waiting Home

Virgil’s new album, Waiting Home, has just been released. Created during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, the album serves as a continuation of storytelling skills and a distinct retro vibe that defined his self-titled debut album, Virgil. The two releases share the music of a singer/songwriter who was reluctant to step into the spotlight until his 60th birthday.

For the last decade and a half, Kevin Virgil Wallace has been focused on his work as founding director of the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai. Caring for the legacy of Beatrice Wood, the fascinating individuals who were part of her life and career, and those who created the Happy Valley Foundation, Wallace kept his work as a singer/songwriter secret from all but a small group of close friends. All of this changed when he realized that, at 60 years of age, he had limited time to make certain that the songs he had brought into the world would ever be heard.

“One of the things that I share with people at the Center is that the artist’s role is simply to be a conduit – about keeping the channel open and the muse involved,” Wallace says. “For that reason, I’ve always felt that the songs weren’t necessarily mine to keep hidden, so have long felt like I had some sort of secret life. But also, as director of the Center, I’m very much aware that we’re in the inspiration business. Every weekend, I talk to people who are impressed that Beatrice Wood continued to work and even thrived through her 80s and 90s. I realized that it was important that I do the same, as I know there are countless aging artists, musicians and writers who may be inspired to follow their dreams, even if they are feeling a little past their prime, or worse for wear.”

It was also important to be honest about his identity, as someone who grew up inspired by relatives who played what they called “hillbilly music” in the living room of their Southern Ohio farmhouse. For this reason, the album was released under his middle name “Virgil” – the name both his grandfather’s shared.

“I would never tell anyone my middle name, as it felt like sort of an old world, unhip name,” Wallace admits. “But it was the perfect name for sharing an authentic part of my identity.”

Having spent decades involved in the art world, for the most part hiding these roots, and passion for music that was not exactly on the cutting edge of the music scene, the term “Americana” began to be applied to the music he grew up with, and he found that there might indeed be an audience for the music he loved. The singer/songwriter tradition of his musical heroes was also again being appreciated.

Virgil's self-titled debut album of all-original songs was a celebration of his 60th birthday. Most of the tracks were recorded at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, with master guitarist Ken Emerson – who often performs at the Center – laying down long-rollicking, deep blue, and smoking hot lead guitar riffs. Wallace’s friend Andrew Ellison, who he began playing music with while in Middle School, recorded his drum parts remotely from his home in Northern Michigan. The vocals were recorded, and the album mixed, at Castaway 7 Studios in Ventura, and the album was mastered by Brian Ziegler at Radiance Studios in Ojai.

“The first Virgil album was born of just wondering if I could do it – a 60 year old guy sharing himself by playing and singing his songs,” Wallace says. “I recorded the second album, Waiting Home entirely in the studio and it is a different album in many ways. I was the songwriter, but worked more as arranger and producer, giving Ken Emerson more room to play, bringing in backing vocals with a singer recording in Austria. The more expansive influence of AM childhood from my youth, with soul and rockabilly came into play.

Looking back, it’s easy for Wallace to see how his career in art was born of a childhood fascination with the instruments his Uncle Claudie, Aunt Angeline and friends played in the living room of their Southern Ohio farmhouse: “Guitars, mandolin, banjo… the forms, materials and sounds seemed magical to me and led to my life’s work in the arts. It’s important for all of us to connect with our creativity, embrace dreams that fell by the wayside, and to inspire others. Just like Beatrice Wood, who didn't throw her first pot until she was forty, I want folks to know it's not too late to record that album, write that novel, or begin creating works for exhibition and performance."

Waiting Home is available everywhere for streaming and purchase, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Wallace hopes sale of copies of the CD and downloads will assist in funding the Beatrice Wood Center for the Art, an activity of the Happy Valley Foundation, non-profit 501(c)(3). For the complete Virgil story, read the extensive digibook at virgilsongs.com or visit the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts located at 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Road Upper Ojai,California.

https://beatricewoodstudio.com/products/virgil-waiting-home

#virgilsongs #Kevin Wallace #beatricewood #beatrice wood #singer songwriter #creativity #embrace dreams #americana

0 notes