Widow's Endorphins: Passover

Widow's Endorphins: Passover: Blessings for peace in your heart.   Passover, the most celebrated of all Jewish holy days, begins at sunset, and continues for ...

Passover

Blessings for peace in your heart.  

Passover, the most celebrated of all Jewish holy days, begins at sunset, and continues for eight nights. It commemorates the freeing of Israelite slaves in Egypt. Whether you read it in the Bible, or saw it at the movies, God parting the Red Sea so that Moses can lead his people to freedom, is powerful.

Wandering the desert, the tribes of Israel became lost souls, their lives far from Godly.  It must have been like a Burning Man gathering gone terribly wrong.  So, God laid down the law.  Thou shalt not kill, is just one of the Ten Commandments. Freedom doesn't give anyone the right to do whatever they want.  

The concept of freedom - of social justice, and equality - is central to Passover.    

Photographs copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorported

Widow's Endorphins: Happy Earth Day

Widow's Endorphins: Happy Earth Day: Bees in white and purple Echinacea blossoms. Photo Copyright:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Happy Earth Day

Bumblebee in Bee Balm.

Monarch Butterfly floating through Lavender.

Bees in white and purple Echinacea blossoms.


Photos Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Widow's Endorphins: Wearable Art

Widow's Endorphins: Wearable Art: I can't sew a straight line.  So, no one is more surprised than me, to have my own line of clothing! Designed using my fine art ph...

Wearable Art

I can't sew a straight line.  So, no one is more surprised than me, to have my own line of clothing! Designed using my fine art photographs, the clothing line includes breezy flare dresses for Spring and Summer, as well as lightweight kimonos, which are great for the beach, or curling up at home.

There are two versions of the Peacock Feathers flare dress - each with a mirror image of the front, on the back.  The dresses and kimonos are easy care, and quick drying.  Machine wash in cold water, and tumble dry on regular cycle - or, let drip dry.

 

The Peacock Feathers kimono is one of the designs which works for both men and women.  These are afterall, male peacock feathers!

The peacock feathers are part of a feather bouquet which I bought a few years ago, in Toronto's "Little India" district.  It is a six block area, which Tourism Toronto bills as the biggest South Asian market in North America.  They were part of the decoration for a Moroccan themed birthday dinner party for my husband.  Yes, I know Morocco is no where near India - we Canadians are masters of "fusion confusion".  

Bridal party season is almost here!  It is the trend for brides to give each bridesmaid her own kimono to wear while getting her hair and makeup done before the wedding.  Bridal photographs now include pictures of the bridal entourage all wearing their matching, or complimentary kimonos!  These vivid prints won't fade, and will be a lovely reminder of a happy day.

The kimonos would also be a lovely Mothers' Day gift!  Doesn't this say, "relax, rejuvenate"?!  It's great for a spa weekend away, or at home.

Ordering a kimono, or flare dress is just a click or two away.  On the right side of the blog, near the top, where it says, "Let's Go Shopping", you'll see a listing for my Art of Where shop.  If you click that, you'll see all of the kimono and dress designs, along with pricing and order information.  But wait, there's more...   

There are two versions of this kimono - great for best friends, sisters, or Mother-Daughter gifts.

Unlike the flare dresses, with a back and front that is a mirror image of the other, the front of each kimono design, is completely different from the back.

There are also two versions of the Birthday Bouquet flare dress.  One, showing the bouquet as it appears in the original photograph, the other is an inverted view, with the crystal vase forming the bodice of the dress.

This is the fine art floral photograph used in the kimono and flare dress design.  I called it, Birthday Bouquet, because it was made up of flowers in two different floral bouquets given to me on my birthday.  The crystal vase and flowers are reflected in a mirror.  

With the enviable exception of those in Vancouver and Victoria, Canadians live with snowflakes for many months of the year.  Yet, the snowy white blossoms of the Cherry tree enthrall us.  The photograph was taken last year, in Toronto's High Park, where thousands make an annual pilgrimage to celebrate the arrival of the blossoms, and Spring.  

The freshness of this flare dress captures the joy and optimism of the arrival of Spring.  

This is the front and back of one of the two versions of Cherry Blossoms Blue Sky. Since blossoms represent a new beginning, this kimono would make a lovely gift for a young graduate, bride, or a young mother.  

This is the other version of the Cherry Blossoms Blue Sky design.  

Stargazer Lily on Japanese Paper is the photograph which inspired this flare dress!

These Stargazer and white Oriental Lilies against the blue wall, inspired this flare dress design. There's a retro feel to this dress.  It reminds me of the Hawaiian prints from the 1940's and '50's.

As the sun slowly sinks in the West...the campfires begin to burn.  The Awesome October Rose image is of one of the Campfire Roses which bloomed on my balcony last Summer and Fall.

The flare dresses are perfect for a hot Summer day, or a hot Summer night on the dance floor.  The fabric is made in Canada, of 72% Ecopoly and 28% Spandex, and wicks away moisture. 

There are two versions of the Campfire Rose flare dress.  I like the ruffles created by the petals.

There are also two versions of the Campfire Rose kimono.

All the kimonos are made of lightweight silky knit 100% Ecopoly fabric, with a knit bamboo fabric trim, and chiffon belt. They are printed and sewn in Canada, on Canadian made fabric, and priced in Canadian dollars.

There are more designs...you'll find them, along with information on how to order at:

https://artofwhere.com/artists/ruth-adams-widow-s-endorphins-photographic-images-inc-/clothing

Clothing designs and original photographs copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Widow's Endorphins: The Romance and Mystery of Old Postcards

Widow's Endorphins: The Romance and Mystery of Old Postcards: Once upon a time, long before email and texting, people wrote letters by hand.  The twitter version of that, was the postcard, with just...

The Romance and Mystery of Old Postcards

Once upon a time, long before email and texting, people wrote letters by hand.  The twitter version of that, was the postcard, with just enough space on a small card to write a brief message, and a forwarding address.  It was customary when travelling, to send postcards to friends and family back home, to share with them the scenery and culture of faraway lands.  "Having a wonderful time, wish you were here", likely originated with the postcard.  

When I was a teenager, my Grandmother gave me a small box of old postcards, most of which she had been given by an even older neighbour.  Many of the cards pre-date World War I, making them more than one hundred years old.  Is it still gossip after a century has passed?

A postcard dated January 2, 1914 and stamped the next day, is addressed to a Miss Sadie R. Starrett in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.  The writer, Ralph Scott must have been chaperoned because his passionate postcard starts, "Dear Friend..."  The real message is the illustration on the front of the card:  a little cowboy with a lasso circling the words, "When you've got a good thing, cinch it".

Then there's an urgent sounding message from someone named Sarah, to Mr. E.A. Bayford, of Central Park New Westminster, BC, Canada.  Sarah's sepia toned postcard photograph of Bushmills Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, with it's horse drawn cart travelling down the road, was printed in 1902. The only date on the card is July 23rd, and she writes from Kirkistown, Ireland.

"I rec'd your letter this morning", she writes.  "Mary is leaving for Glasgow.  I have to wait until Aug So hope you have arranged to meet me at New York.  Never mind the (rails?).  You will enjoy the trip if you make up your mind.  Don't (and the word is underlined) bring (I can't read the word - it appears to be a K, then an ary or any).  Just slip away.  See you at Times Square Hotel.  don't fail (once again, don't is underlined, although not capitalized).  Love from Sarah".  He's doomed!

There's a beautifully illustrated postcard of towering palm trees lining Palm Avenue, in the Royal Botanical Gardens of Calcutta, India.  There's no stamp, or postmark.  It is a postcard note, sent to Sarah.  Is she the same Sarah who urged E.A. Bayford to just slip away to the Times Square Hotel?

The postcard note reads:  "Many thanks for P.C. (the abbreviation for postcard) which reminded me of very pleasant times which I had in your company.  What do you think of this, nothing like it in B. Park.  Some lovely walks in these gardens, but not very pleasing when only yourself for company. Hope you are keeping well, as it leaves me in the best of health.  With fondest love, Yours JR".

My favourite of all the postcard messages is addressed to Miss Lizzie Galencia of Massachusetts, USA, and post marked from Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada on July 31, 1907.  A cartoon of an Irish couple disembarking from a ship, their faces reddened perhaps to indicate that they've had a few, is captioned, "Just arrived".  Next to which, the mysterious postcard sender has written in pencil, "two hours late".  

They go on to say, "Had a fine trip although there was a very thick fog most of the way.  Reminds me of last Thursday night, except that no one has fainted.  Excuse the writing as the motion of the boat has evil effects on my pencil."  You can't get all that in a tweet!

The lovely pink Parrot Tulips and Ranunculus are from Florigens Design of Toronto.

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.