Cynthia Mosser

I realize I am about two seasons behind here, but I just cannot take my eyes off of the Alexis Bittar gold lucite bangle. Image source: alexisbittar.com

What a fantastic and  winsome combination of color and form in this forest-themed folk art-like cake. Image source: vincent.lupo for charmcitycakes

MANY NON-ARTISTS THINK THAT IF ONE IS NOT CONSTANTLY BUSY OR PRODUCTIVE, THAT ONE IS LAZY OR NOT CREATING VALUE.  IN ORDER FOR AN ARTIST TO BE PRODUCTIVE, THEY MUST HAVE A LACK OF BUSY: "The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration — it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done." Tim Kreider of from the article, "The 'Busy' Trap" in the NYTimes.

"Perfectionism is not about achievement and growth.  Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfectly, look perfectly and act perfectly,  we can avoid the pain of blame, judgment and shame."   - Brene Brown Read more: oprah.com

Yes, even religious icons have entered the realm of the superhero. I call this blasphemy at its finest thanks to Italian artist, Igor Scalisi Palminteri. (He purchased saints on the streets of Palermo and repainted them with bright acrylic paint or clothed them in superhero garb.) Could this survive NEA funding? Image source: lostateminor.com

Why is it that we don’t have “down time” anymore? There used to be periods where we’d be running like hamsters on a wheel, and then periods of next-to-nothingness where we’d bond with the sofa, hog the TV remote and spend a whole day—or more—in our pajamas.  Now it’s hamster time all week long, and weekends, too. What gives? Seriously, let’s start a movement to bring a European work ethic to the States.  Let’s all close up shop for the summer—we’ll shutter our city homes and travel to the coast to take hikes, read books and bake pies. Then we’ll return in fall, refreshed, so we can buckle down and work work work through a dark winter. It makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s cyclical, it’s restorative, it makes for better mental and physical health. Yeah, it sounds good, but nobody will go for it. So it’s back to Plan A: Buy Lottery Tickets. NARRATIVE BY Kathi O'Neil : Founder and contributor to the weekly newsletter Portlan...

TANGERINE TANGO is Pantone's 2012 color of the year. I know color forecasting is a major industry, but when it comes to fashion, if you buy into this color, it'll look outdated next year. I suppose this is what retailers want. With that said, I still like the energy of the color. Image source: homebuildlife