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The High Renaissance begins in Italy in the 1490s as foreign armies from France and other countries invade the Italian peninsula during the decade. This brought on wars that lasted 64 yrs. The sacking of cities, the spread of disease, starvation, and plagues were still common occurrences. In addition, the new disease syphilis becomes a major epidemic from the 1490s on, causing the mortality rate to escalate.1 There are increasingly corrupt popes and religious wars between the Catholics and the Protestants that rage on across Europe. As early as 1478 in Spain, we see the beginning of the Inquisition where people who were forced to become Catholic were burned at the stake if the Church had any reason to believe they were not fully converted.
In 1519 the government in Rome was passed to the Pope's cousin, Cardinal Giulio de' Medici (himself crowned pope as Clement VII in 1523), although the facade of a republic was maintained. Martin Luther had begun the division of Western Christianity by this time. In 1527, German and Spanish Catholic troops, supposedly attacking in the service of Emperor Charles V, had run amok in the streets of Rome, committing horrible atrocities. Churches and palaces, including the Vatican and its contents, were sacked and destroyed; in addition to the killing and maiming of thousands, a terrible loss of irreplaceable works of art, manuscripts and other treasures ensued.
Catherine de Medici, born in 1519, married Henry II of France (second son of Francis I) in 1533 when she was only fourteen. The marriage had been arranged years before and was officiated by Pope Leo X, Catherine's uncle. King Henry II of France became ruler in 1547 after the death of his father, Francis I. Both kings were from the Valois line that reached back in history to Philip VI who ruled France from 1328 to 1350.
After having given birth to seven children, Catherine lost her husband from a severe injury to his eye during a tournament in 1559. It was even more tragic because the tournament was staged in celebration of the marriage of their daughter Elizabeth to Philip II of Spain. After Henri's death, Catherine nearly always dressed in black mourning clothes, even for court festivals.
After Henri's death, Catherine ruled France as regent from 1559 to 1589 even though her young sons were kings of France during this period. Son Francis II ruled 1559-60, but died of ill health. Charles IX, who ruled 1560 to 1574, was also frail and died at age twenty-four. Catherine, as strong as she was, must have found it very difficult to lose two of her sons when they were so young. Henri III was king from 1574-89 and was assassinated soon after his mother's death bringing an end to the Valois line.
After her husband's death, Catherine continued to produce even more lavish spectacles than she had before. In 1565 the royal printer published a detailed account of the entertainments at Bayonne, which were the climax of a two-year royal progress across France. These included tournaments performed by richly adorned knights in disguise, dancing, concerts, and banquets on barges and in riverside tents. Contemporary political message were combined with various entertainments, medieval romances, and tales from classical mythology to bring about a stunning spectacle that proclaimed the greatness of the French crown.2
In France and Italy there were fierce religious wars between the Catholics and the Huguenots (Calvinist Protestants) that began in 1560 and ended in 1598. Catherine becomes the dominant political personality until her death because her sons were either too young, weak, or ineffective as kings to handle the crises at hand.3 Much of Queen Catherine's time was taken up with the intrigues concerning the issues of handling the Protestants. Because of the importance of having a united France to stave off wars from other countries wishing her territories, at first Catherine had a lenient policy of cooperation and allowed the Huguenots to worship freely in certain places. Later, after several battles and horrific massacres of priests and nuns, the French Catholics had started to reply with counter-massacres and in the mounting fury, Catholic violent acts against Protestants began to equal if not exceed those of the Huguenots.4
In Ross Williamson's detailed account of the religious wars, he quotes an English traveler who reported France's lamentable condition:
"...And with all the dread fullest cruelties ever in the world, plague, hunger and sword - which God in His mercy cease in them and preserve us from! And to this is joined an incredible obstinacy on either side, ever hardening their hearts with malice and fury to the utter extermination one of the other."5
Over time Catherine became more afraid of the Protestants and their ability to disrupt the unity and dominance of the Catholic Church. In 1572, it was she and her sons who ordered the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in which, according to Williamson, over 2000 Protestants were killed in one morning. From that point, things quickly got out of hand. There was killing just for the sake of killing. Mobs of thieves and murderers took advantage of the mayhem, coming out of every hiding place where they had been waiting for the change to rape, murder, plunder, and pillage.6
Attempts by the Catholic Church to combat the spread of ideas of Protestantism and transform Catholicism began with a Counter-Reformation in 1542 where the Inquisition was re-established and an Index was added to ban publications that went against Catholic teachings. There were frequent bonfires with the burning of books and persons thought to be witches. Church doctrine was clarified and Rome reaffirmed the points that would remain non-negotiable during the Council of Trent that lasted from 1545 to 1563. After this time, however, there begin to be dramatic changes for the better within the Catholic Church. Priests become better educated through the founding of seminaries and religious orders. They are given the work of establishing missions in order to reach possible converts in the cities and towns throughout Europe.
Catherine's third son, Henri III, became king in 1574 but was childless. After his assassination in 1589, the crown passed to Henri of Navarre, a descendent of the Bourbon line who was a leader in the Protestant community. Henri IV (Navarre), who ruled France from 1589 to 1610, was the first Bourbon monarch. It was this king who had been excommunicated for heresy, but in 1593, renounced his Protestantism for the Catholic faith, a brilliant move on his part that was well received by the Catholics of Paris. In 1598, Henri IV achieved some peace and social harmony by signing the Edict of Nantes, which introduced religious toleration.
Italy's High Renaissance was affected by the political and social events that both hindered and stimulated cultural and economic changes. Even though wars in Europe was horrible, they permitted a rich cross-fertilization of ideas among scholars, artists and theologians and it was a time in which humanists, artists, and philosophers established new academies, the focus of which was to teach the cultured elite.7 It was these organizations that served as the models for the French cultural academies a century later.
Most humanist writers believed that women as well men should be educated and took it upon themselves to educate some of the great ladies of the time, Isabella and Beatrice d' Este among them. It was a time in which women of the nobility became more adept and aware culturally. A few women even became poets and writers. However, men and the Church still viewed women as suspect and artificial. If they were too clever, they were condemned as witches whose trickery and seduction caused many a man to go astray.
Although pressed financially as the French religious wars took their toll, Catherine de' Medici was able to continue presenting a glorious and glittering court to the French public throughout her reign. However, after her death and the assassination of her son, Henry III, in 1589, the court re-examined the anguish and trauma caused by years of intense fighting and withdrew more and more to safety within the confines of the castle. They became occupied with presenting a more impassive and elitist style of enlightenment and entertainment through the palace academies, masques and court ballets.8
In 1503 Pope Julius II was elevated to the throne of St. Peter. He was successful in driving the French out of Italy and he re-established the Medici family under Cardinal Giovanni de Medici who, in 1516, succeeded him as Pope Leo X and set the boundaries of the Papal States for centuries to come. Giovanni's building and reconstruction program inspired the High Renaissance style with a new vision of classical beauty and Christian spirituality and he summoned the greatest artists in Italy to carry out his dreams. Pope Julius II also had collected many of the ancient Greek and Roman sculptures which served as inspiration to Leonardo de Vinci (1452-1519) and other great artists.
Under the beneficial cultural leadership of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1537-74), the two hundred year old tradition of granting commissions to great artists, architects and scholars continued. Two of the most important artists of the period were Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) and Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), whose reputations had benefited greatly from their connections to the Medici palaces.
Confirming the paradoxes of the religious upheavals, the Renaissance produced some of the most glorious, compassionate, and spiritual works in Christian art - such as the graceful Madonna figures of Raphael (1483-1520), Andrea della Robbia (1400-1482), and religious scenes painted by Vasari and dozens of other artists. The most notable effort was that of Michelangelo in his triumphant and sublime ceiling of the Sistine Ceiling painted between 1508-12. This masterpiece was characterized by harmony, balance, unity, and grace, and the idea that Adam was made in the likeness of a perfect God.
Juxtaposed to the reverent religious art was a style that developed in celebration of the delight in the male and female nude. Seen in both religious and secular contexts, this sensual, even erotic art flourished up until 1564 when the Church sought to attack lascivious art, for example, the works of the Florentine artist Angelo Bronzino (1503-1572), and took a more pronounced puritanical and conservative approach to art and music.9 Bronzino happened to be the court painter for Cosimo I de' Medici. In 1573, Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) was another artist who came under the scrutiny of the Inquisition in Venice because of the licence he took with sacred subjects.
In addition to influential artists and their glorification of the female nude, erotic themes in literature, unisex public baths, and the lasting traditions of the medieval court of love with its encouragement of promiscuity led to a sexual revolution.10 Men became so preoccupied with young, lovely women that it took both the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter Reformation to subdue the new sexual freedoms and re-establish some sense of decorum by the last quarter of the century.
There was also continued fascination with Neo-Platonic philosophy and classical mythology, which in turn greatly impacted the content and meaning of art, architecture, drama, music, and dancing.11 Even though Roman figure sculpture was copied, new attributes and nuances appear in the artist's quest for perfection and the positive acknowledgements of his patrons.
In place of being always compared to the Virgin Mary, women in late fifteenth century art are often compared to Venus or to any one of a number of beautiful nymphs.12 A nude Venus is seen in the allegorical painting, Parnassus, by Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506). Venus (love) is taming Mars (war) so that the arts of music (Apollo) and dancing (the Muses) can flourish. It is possible that the beautiful Isabelle d' Este, one of the noblewomen of Mantua, was the model for Venus.13
Art historians know the subject of aesthetics was first discussed in Polykleitos's canon, 5th century B.C. "It is the earliest-preserved attempt to define beauty in all of Western thought."14 According to Polykleitos, who was a sculptor, artist and writer, beauty for the human body depended upon the proportions of its anatomical lengths.15 Compared to the art of older periods, in the Classical period we see an emphasis on refinement, gentility, and realism. Polykleitos used the Pythagorean mathematical concepts and his studies in medicine and athletic training to bring substance to these qualities in his work. Because of Polykleitos' knowledge of external physical forces such as gravity, human anatomy and the movement potential of muscles, bones and joints, his sculpture of the Doryhorus seems very real and perfect, almost as if it is alive with energy and dynamism, but posed momentarily. Historian Gregory V. Leftwich proposes that what gives the sculpture its energy is the sculptor's use of the opposites of bent, straight; right, left; forward, backward; active, passive; contracted and relaxed to illustrate the fundamentals of anatomical movement.16 In this instance man is truly a work of art in all of his splendor, grace and dignity. (See Ch. 3, Fig. 32, for illustration.)
The proportions of the human body, first described by Polykleitos, and later by Vitruvius, were elegantly expressed in the art of the High Renaissance by artists such as Giovanni Bellini, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Priaticcio, Bronzino, Michelangelo, and Sandro Botticelli. Coupled with the neo-Platonic philosophy of the unity of the material and spiritual worlds plus the intense study of classically based forms with emphasis on the qualities of a long neck, well-shaped head, sloping shoulders, and long limbs, we see an almost divine beauty manifest itself in the work.17 In fact, the perfect essences in the pagan tradition of the Platonists were translated through the perfect mathematical proportions developed by Vitruvius and intertwined with the Judeo-Christian belief that the first man, made in God's image, certainly must have been perfect.18 Renaissance artists, therefore, used the human figure with spiritual expressions, reverent stances and loving gestures to encourage moral conduct in the viewer.19 The opposite qualities could be used to instil fear as well.
Continuous religious, national and civil war was another strong influence in High Renaissance art. Battles of the gods, pagans and princes were depicted in paintings, etchings, frescos and sculptures. In addition to civil wars, the dangers looming over the Italian states at the hands of the European monarchies of France, England, Spain and Germany initiated constant military alert and assertiveness that was echoed by a new emphasis on action in art. An example is the Battle of the Sea Gods by Andrea Mantegna painted in 1485.
War also promoted the designing and crafting of body armor for protection and, because of its prohibitive cost, the elevated status of the wearer.20 In the sixteenth century, it becomes increasingly more elaborate and well made with ornate designs copied and embossed into the metal of the helmets, shields and breast plates, all for the glorification of the knight who wore it. There was even more magnificent display of armor in the tournaments and parades with the addition fancy plumes for the helmets, luxury fabrics and trappings for the horses reminiscent of the Roman Caesars.
The High Renaissance was a period when artists and craftsmen of all types; poets, writers, artists, artisans, dancers and musicians generally gained a deeper faith and trust in their own abilities. The magnificent works of art and literature rivalled and even surpassed the works of the ancients in conveying meaning, original ideas and sensitive emotions.21
Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529) grew up in the court of Urbino, an important Italian city-state. He was a good friend of the artist Raphael, who painted his portrait in 1514. He was a writer for the Gonzaga family and also frequented the courts of Milan, Mantua, and the Vatican as a diplomat, serving Pope Clement VII in the last years of his life. Based on his preoccupation with reading histories of the ancient Greeks, the poetry of Horace, the speeches of Cicero, and the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, there arose new books on conduct, most notably, Castiglione's. These books may also have been written as a response to the increasingly decadent lifestyles of the period mentioned earlier. Castiglione was an idealist whose book, Il Cortegiano, had great influence on European thought and the civilizing of society. Perhaps his message of peaceful negotiation in place of war had much appeal to the battle weary Italians, and later, most of Europe. In his book, he describes a model of the perfect gentleman and lady, restating the basic humanistic philosophy that Man should be of high purpose, seeking perfection in all aspects of human life.22 Castiglione sets down the rules and qualifications for the noble who wishes to hold the title of 'courtier'.
"He must be, preferably, of noble lineage, well-built, manly yet graceful, a man of thought and action, a soldier and scholar, effective both on the battlefield and in the council chamber. He must keep his body fit with exercises in horsemanship, fencing, hunting, swimming, jumping, fencing, tennis or soccer, and dancing. His mind must be adorned with noble virtues; he must know classic and modern literatures, at least two foreign languages, be a writer, a poet and an orator. He must also know how to draw and paint and is advised to be able to sing and play two stringed instruments. He must use tact, caution and grace and shun affectation. In doing the things he knows best he should act with studied carelessness since true art always appears artless."23
Castiglione envisions the courtier displaying the qualities of grace, dignity, harmony of body and soul, and naturalness in his work and play so that he seems a total master of himself and society's rules.24 He believed these qualities were essential features of civilized behavior and elegant sophistication and that the courtier should be a model to others in his personal qualities and activities. Castiglione also writes about the difference between the male and the female courtier: He must be virile and have a certain weightiness of image. He is energetic and vigorous and more on the offensive rather than the defensive. The lady is, on the other hand, sensitive, tender, delicate, and reserved.25
Spontaneity and ease in the arts of painting, music and dancing required studied effort but ultimately required nonchalance (the technique becomes second nature - it looks easy). If the courtier can accomplish this, he will seem to reveal masterful knowledge and be successful in creating the impression that he is master of every role he takes.26 He will then causes others to marvel at his accomplishments both in his daily activities and in times of festive celebrations and tournaments.
As Rebhorn asserts, the masks worn at the court balls were an aid in achieving nonchalance because they allowed the courtier to choose which role he played the best - with the most charm and wit.27 Castiglione compares the artful creation of a personal image or mask to the painter's creation of a painting. One should strive to imagine himself as his best selves.28 The ultimate goal is for the courtier to become as Adam was before his fall from Eden.29 The mask also allowed courtiers to participate in dances that were deemed unseemly except in private or at a masquerade where one's true identity was hidden. Il Cortegiano becomes widely popular and is published in several different languages and in multiple editions. It is one of the Renaissance masterpieces of literature and culture.
The French Renaissance evolved along side her military campaigns and the French court was a large, ever-expanding establishment due to its military conquests.30 Battles brought prominent members of the French nobility into direct contact with the classical architecture and art of the Italian High Renaissance. Hired mercenary soldiers and their captains who fought for France were dazzled by what they found and sought to procure in whatever ways necessary the trappings of the Italian dukes.
In addition to war, the advent of printing, one of the major thrusts of the Renaissance, created opportunities for a robust cross-fertilization of ideas between the French and Italians. The French humanist writers, Rabelais (1494-1553) and Montaigne (1533-1592) used ancient texts for guidance but lived during the time when French, in place of Latin, became the official language for all legal documents and soon after became the written language of the French populace.31
Francis I (1494-1547) became the new ruler of France in 1515 and the High Renaissance could not have had a better patron. After 1528, he began extensive works at the Louvre, Fontainebleau, and other palaces, hiring mostly Italian architects and artists to design, build and embellish these magnificent structures. He loved art from an early age and was accustomed to having his likeness engraved on medals that were struck in honor of his battles and to spread his personal imagery throughout the kingdom.32 He commissioned many works by several of the best artists of Italy who in turn, influenced the French artists, stone masons and architects.
Portraits, both grand and miniature, become an important aspect of Francois' collection. Portraiture was an essential part of capturing the ideal images of the kingdom and many nobles collected miniatures of their families and other court figures. These are both sacred and secular and many are allegorical. For example, there is a miniature painting by Nicol� Bellin that presents the king in the guise of a composite god/goddess with the attributes of Mars, Minerva, Mercury and Diana.33 Historians are not positive as to its full meaning but it is a curiosity. The painting may be reflective of court festival and the fact that it was a common occurrence to dress up in fantastic costumes for court entertainments. A more likely case may be that royals were often shown with the attributes of several different gods and goddesses to illustrate their diverse and divine qualities to all persons fortunate enough to gaze upon them.34
There was a large and varied group of talented artists, both native and foreign, who worked at the French court from about 1530 -1560. The School of Fontainebleau, under the patronage of Francis I, is the name given to the combination of Mannerist painting (the period of art in the late Renaissance, before Baroque) and stucco decoration introduced by the Italian artists Battista Rosso (1495-1540) and Francesco Primaticcio (1504-70) who arrived around 1531 to work at Fontainebleau, the king's favorite palace. The two men spent most of their careers there. Both of these artists were able to impress the king because of their gentlemanly manners and cultured backgrounds. They quickly became his most preferred artists and were given the work of decorating the royal bed chambers and other intimate rooms in the palace. They worked in fresco, painting, stucco and sculpture in a style that was wholly self-consciously elegant, sensuous, and often erotic. For example, gorgeous female nudes with elongated, slender limbs and delicate hands and feet were used as columns to support canopies over the headboards of a bed. The subjects were still mythological but these artists, especially Primaticcio, add "a sense of suave luminous fantasy anticipating the world of Poussin or Watteau."35 Although this sumptuous style was largely Italian in inspiration it helped to establish France as a major artistic center.
Another leading artist who was creating new works still based on classical models was Giovanni da Bologna or Giambologna (1529-1608). The most gifted and famous Florentine sculptor after the death of Michelangelo, his sculptures exhibit grace through movement, classical beauty and strength. His bronze statue of Mercury, done in 1564, captures the expression of flight in this messenger from Heaven. This graceful and elegant statue, if turned slowly on a pedestal, shows the Mannerist principle that the body must be beautiful from any viewpoint, incidentally, another principle absorbed into ballet theory. Bologna's Mercury inspired Carlo Blasis, one of the great ballet masters of the 19th century, to develop a new pose, "en attitude", which is very common ballet position today.
The French thought of Francis I as a true Renaissance man. He had become the personification of Castiglione's ideal. He understood art, science, and politics and he was a master at military matters. He was skilled and knowledgeable in hunting, painting, literature, and languages and had all of the bodily accomplishments necessary for a true cavalier. More importantly, during his reign, the cultural life of France was transformed in powerful and meaningful ways because of his love of beauty and his ability and desire to acquire the most beautiful art and architecture for France. He paid his painters and sculptors well and the many works he acquired set the stage for the arrival of Catherine de' Medici as the bride of his son, Henri II. She was as ardent a collector as her father-in-law.
The Neo-Platonic philosophy eventually united with Copernicus' radical discovery in 1503 that the sun was the actual center of the universe but most people still believed that planets and sun revolved around the earth. It was long known that some of the pagan Greek philosophers believed the center of the universe was fire. So, at the dawning of this revolution in thought, the notion of a beautifully ordered cosmos as presented in the Pythagorean mystery school continued to help satisfy people's need for fundamental order and meaning.36 Music and dance were a critical part of this meaning, bringing harmony to civilization.
Ballet de cour (court ballet) was derived from the masquerades and allegorical/ mythological Trionfi, and performed exclusively by aristocratic amateurs instructed by professional dancing masters. By 1500, these staged works were called Balletti, and were versions of the social dances of the day. Some were derived from folk dances but refined and others originated in the protocol of court etiquette.37 The term Balleto was first used by Domenico de Piacenza when his treatise was written in 1450. As the founder of the Lombardic school of dancing and ballet master to the Este court, Domenico writes about a group of four dances (suite) with a finale done to contrasting rhythms.38 He also makes a distinction between ballo and bassa dance, terms which are discussed in detail by Castiglione in Il Cortegiano.
Graceful patterns continue to be the most important element and the costumes worn for these balletti become more elaborate with the passing of time. Though each dance had a theme, it was related to the others only by the mythological or legendary nature of its content. On ballroom floors, dancing masters might have their courtly dancers form the initials of the nobility for whom the event took place or they might form designs in secret code understood to be riddles flattering the virtues of the king or queen. Various interweaving of bodies was common as were the formation of knots, geometrical shapes from earlier periods and various line patterns such as spirals and crossing lines.
Balthasar de Beaujoyeulx (Baldassarino di Belgioioso)
Beaujoyeulx was a multi-talented musician and composer who became court valet to Catherine de' Medici soon after arriving in 1555 from Italy. His birth date is unknown but he died in 1587, two years before his queen. Catherine found he had a talent for organizing festivals at the royal court and his career quickly advanced in this capacity. He was given the responsibility for arranging and/or dancing in court entertainments, three of which have been well documented, and he is credited with being the founder of the French Court Ballet. Beaujoyeulx rehearsed his court dancers well, as they were praised for remembering everything they were given to dance without making mistakes.
Examples of Ballets at Court in the late 16th-Century
Le Ballet Des Polonais (The Polish Ballet) 1573, is the first example of sustained choreography with patterns of music, song and dance. Catherine's court painter, Antoine Caron (1520-1600), designed images of this and other court festivities to be woven into tapestries. The musicians, as seen in the Valois Tapestries, are dressed as Apollo and the Muses. This tapestry is an elegantly detailed record of the visit of the Polish ambassadors and the reception given them by Queen Catherine in 1573. The work was huge, measuring 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, and was finally finished ten years later in 1583.
The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre had taken place the year before, disrupting court festivals. Perhaps the ballet, in addition to welcoming Polish diplomats, was an attempt on the part of Catherine de' Medici and the French court to bring peace to France and absolve and distance themselves from this tragedy.
In this ballet, verse and song are more important than dance and it was done for political reasons, to establish good relations with Poland by impressing the Polish ambassadors and to celebrate the election of the Frenchman, Catherine's son Henry III, as King of Poland. The movements were composed of Danse Figurée or figured dancing (geometric), spoken verse and song.
The music was composed specifically for this production and the court poet, Pierre de Ronsard (1524-85), wrote the lyrics to the songs. Ronsard, along with Jean-Antoine de Baïf (1532-89) was a member of the distinguished Pléiades, so named after a famous group of seven poets of antiquity. Their goal was to capture the forms, rhythms, and richness of the Greek vocabulary by enlarging the French language and making improvements in poetry and drama, which up to this time had been based on the old medieval mystery plays.39
Ballet Comique de la Royne (Queen Louise's Ballet Entertainment), 1582
This ballet was much more extensive and expensive to produce than previous ones. Beaujoyeulx was in charge of an array of musicians, singers, designers for the décor, and dancers, all of whom he had to coordinate in this splendid affair in addition to creating the choreography. The story was based on Greek myth and included virtues, gods, demi-gods, goddesses, naiads, tritons, and satyrs. All of these roles were still performed by aristocrats as they were in the Polish Ballet. The ballet took place in one of the ballrooms in the Louvre, then a palace instead of a museum. It lasted five and a half hours and cost the sum of 3.5 million francs to produce. The choreography was based on geometric floor patterns and done according to the guidelines of the Academy of Poetry and Music founded by de Baïf in 1570.
The word, Comique, in this instance means dramatic, or a story line that tells of the triumph of good over evil.40 This ballet is considered to be the first ballet d'cour or court ballet because of the mixing of song, recitation and dancing all in allegorical action in order to facilitate the plot, which tells of the defeat of Circe, symbol of the evil passions, by reason, represented by Minerva, Jupiter and the Cardinal Virtues. The geometric shapes - circles, squares, and triangles were used as symbolic magic; the circle indicating the infinite, endless, and celestial; the square, a metaphor for the four cardinal compass points, four seasons, four elements; and the triad, (trinity) the symbol of what is perfect.41 A libretto was published to add prestige to the image of France and to impress the Polish diplomats in attendance.42 In combination with spectacular scenery and choreography befitting the nobility of the courtiers, we see the beginnings of French court ballet. In one aspect the Ballet Comique was an allegory of the religious wars that engulfed France.
To these courtiers, music was fundamental in the search for order and unity. "There was a profound, mystic unity between music and numbers." 43 Just as you needed to tune your instrument in order to get the right pitch, it was believed one had to also tune one's body and mind in order to turn disharmony into harmony.44 This was facilitated by the new harmonies of Renaissance secular music which were combined with the cadences of French poetry based on the Royal Academy of Music and Poetry, founded 10 years earlier.45
Not to be outdone by the French, Grand Duke Ferdinando de' Medici devised a most sumptuous wedding celebration in 1589 that lasted for six weeks. Through James M. Saslow's research and his book, The Medici Wedding of 1589, vivid glimpses into the preparation, production and social/cultural implications of this event are revealed to us. Ferdinando requested staged intermedi (or intermezzi) as part of a staged performance for his wedding to Princess Christine of Lorraine. She was the grand-daughter of Catherine de' Medici and Catherine, had she lived, would have been utterly delighted by the occasion.
In this celebration music and dance interludes were performed between the acts of a comedy. In fact, over the six weeks of festivities, four different comedies were performed on different occasions and the same intermedi were done for all of them. Other festivities in celebration of the wedding ranged the entire gamut: ceremonial welcomes in the various Italian cities as the French princess bride passed through, maypole dances, feasts, jousts, allegorical parades, naval battles in the duke's palace courtyard, games, animal baiting and a solemn mass on Easter Sunday.46
The main creator for this immense task was Bernardo Buontalenti, a professional designer of significant reputation who was from the artisan class.47 He apprenticed with the great Vasari and devoted his life to court service as the engineer and architect of public works and other large projects. He also had a prodigious talent and creative imagination for glamorizing court occasions and was in charge of designing stage sets, costumes, lighting and special effects for the ducal wedding festivities of 1589.48 There was also the nobleman Emilio de' Cavalieri who held the office of superintendent of fine arts for the Medici court. Because of his status, he was paid more than double what Buontalenti was paid, even though the latter had huge responsibilities. Cavalieri was official producer and, in addition, he choreographed some of the dances for the intermedi and oversaw the cost and administration of the event.49
The costumes for the singers and dancers in the intermedi were of beautiful, inventive design made of luxury fabrics, most of which were procured inside Florence. The skirts were of looser fabrics than the bodices, allowing for free movement of the legs. However, the high platform shoes shown in the illustration, popular at the time for keeping long dresses out of the dirt and mud, must have presented a serious hindrance to the movements if they were actually worn in performance. The costume for the dragon (python) was fantastic. Men hidden beneath its fabric and frame made the monster move and breathe fire.50
The theme of the poetry was based on classical mythology and the six intermedi were unified by the music and its power to influence both the human soul on earth and the gods in Heaven.51 Because of the passion for writing and setting vernacular verse to music, poetry played a vital role in the de' Medici court culture as it did for other ducal families. Florentine poetry was inextricably tied to the music of the spheres and dance, which in turn was tied to the theatricalization of princely authority, peace, harmony and prosperity.52 The circular patterns danced around the central figures of Ferdinando and his bride bless the harmonically, harmoniously, stabilized social and physical universe. The couple's wedding, it was fervently hoped, would bring about peace, abundance, and a continuation of the dynasty.
Performances of these court ballets seemed to attract trouble. There were diplomatic skirmishes, arguments about protocol and until 1600, no front curtain. Performances planned outside were often delayed or ruined by the weather, with royal spectators being soaked to the bone by a sudden cloudburst. Other times performances could not be held because the crowd being too large pushed forward through the ballroom up onto the stage area. Performances done inside could last for several hours. The ballrooms and theaters were hot, smoky and smelly. Thieves took advantage of the fact that the audience was engrossed in the stage spectacles and stole their money and belongings. The amateur performers had trouble maneuvering under the weight of their huge and heavy costumes, but in spite of all these problems, court ballet becomes ever more popular in France, surpassing other kinds of entertainment by 1600.
Technique Development
Sometime after the 1550s, Jean-Antoine de Baif and the Pleiades academy of poets established the philosophy of the ballet: "To unite music with dance, song and measure ...." 53 De Baïf founded his academy to attempt the revival of the chorus of Greek tragedy with its synthesis of theatrical elements. Beaujoyleux carried out de Baïf's ideas and is credited with creating the first production that had an actual story line.
Thoinot Arbeau (1520-1595) was a musician and dance writer – his dance text Orchesographie was published in 1589. In this book the positions of the feet were named: two in parallel and two at 45 degrees. The turnout was more for elegance (putting one's best foot forward, so to speak) than to give the performers more freedom of movement and expression, although the vocabulary for stage dancing was growing. This delightful little book includes illustrations, probably drawn by Arbeau himself, and detailed instructions of a long list of dances that were popular during the time including basse dance, pavane, galliard, branle, gavotte, and morris dance. The music accompanying these dances is also given. Arbeau speaks about these forms saying, "I find these pavans and basse dances charming and dignified, and well suited to honorable persons, particularly ladies and maidens."54 Further he states, "Pavans are also used in masquerades to herald the entrance of the gods and goddesses in their triumphal chariots or emperors and kings in full majesty."55
The Commedia Dell'Arte, 1520 - "Popular Entertainment"
An overview of Renaissance theater would not be complete without mentioning the Commedia. The Commedia Dell'Arte came into full flower around 1550 and flourished for two hundred years. Its origins are obscure; some experts say it developed from carnival entertainments and others say it came about from the early mime shows and farces of Roman theater. Whatever its source, after the 1559 treaty between Italy and Spain, we see the beginning of professional comedy troupes that flourish.
If we consider the Commedia as an outgrowth of the Lenten carnival in the Christian tradition, there is evidence. "Devils were popular characters in the carnival festivities the week prior to Lent and they were let loose in the streets to play pranks on the citizenry."56 Masks and costumes were worn by all carnival participants just as they are today for Mardi Gras parades. It was a time for chaos to reign. Social and political hierarchies disappeared and behind the mask, rich and poor, high class and low, male and female sexes could be easily reversed. In Medieval and Renaissance times a masked man was not to bear arms during Carnival season because he was considered not to be himself and therefore he was not responsible for his actions.57
The wearing of a mask or acting out a certain stock character without a mask was the way in which the actor could cause laughter through stereotyping. Everybody knew somebody who had one or more qualities of the individual commedia characters. Other elements borrowed from the Carnival included satire, mimicry, dancing and acrobatics.
The comedies, instead of being written by a playwright, were conceived, directed and acted by the artisti, the actors themselves, who lived and worked in the centuries old traditions of pantomime art. The director had a joke book, the contents of which could be adapted to the various plays, along with other acting bits that were memorized. There was no script but entrances and exits were planned in advance. The actors met with the corago (director) before the performance to discuss, interpret and agree on how the plot would develop. Nothing was written except the scenario or outline of the plot. A reason for not writing dialogue down may have been to make it easier to stay one step ahead of the Church and the censors who were always pursuing them.58
Dialogue was woven extemporaneously, thus creating the impression that the event acted was actually happening at that very moment. Because of the masks they wore, the actors needed a rich imagination, keen wit and extraordinary abilities as mimes in order to express through movement and gesture the full range of subtle gradations of each character's quirks and qualities. Since the plots depended on the entire group of actors playing off one another, there were rarely solos or monologues.
Through close observation and portraiture of local people, their mores and costumes, actors became specialized in the personification of one of the stock characters. Some of these characters originated in Italy and some in France. Each had a special mask or makeup, costume, characteristics, stance, voice, and walk. These professional artists had the same dancing masters as the nobility and were quick to adapt the overly fussy and ornate movements of the court into their satire and comedy routines.59
There were from twelve to fifteen members to a troupe, three or four women and eight to nine men. This was unusual, as women did not perform in professional theaters playing female parts before the birth of the Commedia. These acting families were close-knit and passed on their trade secrets from one generation to the next. The actors traveled in itinerant troupes from town to town and advertised their performances making claims that there would be new something new and delightful for everyone to enjoy. The skits had great appeal to the common people who sought out theater that was pertinent to their every-day lives and activities.60 Troupes had to be incredibly flexible in order to adapt to the needs of the market place and the best ones were able to gain financial stability through their savvy management practices and they were able to give more performances and stay in the cities longer. They were also in demand far from their home territories and formed permanent professional companies in France, England, Spain and Germany. There is evidence that one of the famous troupes, the Gelosi, performed as part of Duke Ferdinando's wedding in 1589.61
Due to the small number of performers, each actor also needed skills as a dancer, singer, rhymester and acrobat in addition to being an excellent mime artist. The performances were given outside on an elevated platform or stage wherever people were gathered in the market-square, church plaza or carnival grounds. Occurring about the same time as Church sanctions on lascivious art, in Milan, 1565, there was a prohibition of comedy players, buffoons and charlatans during religious feast days, Lent, or on stages near the church until the service was over. Actors who disobeyed this edict were subject to whippings.62 The Venetian Church, however, seemed more tolerant, as a spectator could see two performances a day of several commedia troupes in the square of St. Mark's Cathedral, in fact, the players were so adept, they became a tourist attraction.
This dramatic form has greatly influenced ballet in a number of ways. The stock characters of Pedrolino (Perrot), Harlequin (Il Capitano), Colombina (Columbine), Scaramouch, and Pulcinella are often seen in one form or another. Many ballets are based on commedia characters (dolls) in the context of toy shops, puppet shows, or circus stories. They have great appeal to children and keep successive generations coming to the ballet to be enchanted by ballets such as Coppélia.
The Inamorate (lovers) dance together in a form that becomes the ballet pas de deux (dance for two) and the acrobatic nature of the Commedia routines influence the development certain styles in ballet in which capers or tricks are displayed to impress the audience. Mime skill developed by these troupes becomes a virtuoso display similar to recitative in opera and becomes more integrated into ballet in the Rococo Period. Harlequin's dance, the Harliquinade, becomes a distinct form of dance on its own with a mixture of singing, dancing and recitative - the origin of musical comedy.
By mid-sixteenth century, dance has become an essential and integral part of court life and will become even more sophisticated and entrenched in French high society and culture during the Baroque Era to come. A main influence was Castiglione's book, in which he describes in detail the proper music and dance crucial to the role of an upper-class couple. Castiglione takes clues from earlier dance treatises, especially those of William the Jew of Pisaro and his master, Domenico de Piacenza, who was probably the earliest dancing masters to separate dances for the nobility (bassa danza) from those of the common people (ballo danza) around 1450.
It is also to Catherine de' Medici that we owe the development of court dance, as it was she who introduced Italian pre-classic dance forms to the French court. One example was the Courante or Corrente, (Italian), for which the music consisted of eighth notes in a quick 3/4 time. By 1620, the Courante becomes the second movement in the dance suite consisting of the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Gigue.63
Upon her death near the century's end, Catherine left a rich and lasting legacy in terms of the architecture (churches, libraries, and palaces) she had commissioned. Architecture was her first love but she also had a vast collection of paintings, mostly portraits, as one of her main interest was managing people.64 Her personal library was impressive, consisting of 4,500 volumes, 900 of which were Greek, Latin, and Hebrew manuscripts on a number of subjects.65
By the end of the 16th century, Christian ideals returned and were enforced by the Counter Reformation. The erotic art popular in the earlier part of the century diminishes and decrees from the Church printed in 1564 encourage a more conservative approach to the arts although classical paganism is never really out of style.66 Also, by century's end, the popularity of the Florentine Intermedi and a more dramatic expressing of emotion in singing can be seen as leading to Baroque opera.67
1. Chris Murray, ed., Cultural Atlas of the Renaissance, (New York: Prentice Hall General Reference, 1993), 164.
2. Ibid., 182.
3. John Ardagh with Colin Jones, The Cultural Atlas of France, (Oxfordshire, England: Andromeda Oxford Ltd:, 1991), 53.
4. Ross Williamson, Catherine de' Medici, (New York: Viking Press,1973), 184.
5. Ibid., 184.
6. Ibid., 230.
7. Chris Murray, ed., 78.
8. Ibid., 178.
9. Ibid., 99.
10. Michel Pierre, The Renaissance, (Barnes and Noble: New York, 1999), 86.
11. Chris Murray, ed., 78.
12. Patricia Emison, Low and High Style in Italian Renaissance Art, (New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1997), Introduction xvi and xvii
13. Chris Murray, ed., 59.
14. Ira S. Mark, "The Lure of Philosophy: Craft and Higher Learning in Ancient Greece" in Polykleitos, the Doryphoros and Tradition, Warren G. Moon, ed., (Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1995), 28.
15. Gregory V. Leftwich, "Polykleitos and Hippokratic Medicine" in Polykleitos, the Doryphoros and Tradition, Warren G. Moon, ed., (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1995), 40.
16. Ibid., 40.
17. Chris Murray, ed., 20.
18. Lucy Gent and Nigel Llewellyn, eds., Renaissance Bodies, (London: Reaktion Books Ltd., 1990), 3.
19. Ibid.
20. Helmut Nickel, Warriors and Worthies: Arms and Armor Through the Ages, (Hartford, Connecticut Printers, Inc., 1969), 77.
21. Chris Murray, ed., 78.
22. Michele Cantarella, The Italian Heritage, (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1959), 155.
23. Ibid., 156.
24. Wayne A. Rebhorn, Courtly Performances, (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1978), 44.
25. Ibid., 42.
26. Ibid., 33,34.
27. Ibid., 39.
28. Ibid., 60.
29. Ibid., 50.
30. Chris Murray, ed., 164, 165.
31. Ardagh and Jones, 50.
32. Janet Cox-Rearick, The Collection of Francis I: Royal Treasures, (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996) 3.
33. Ibid., 5.
34. Ibid., 18.
35. Desmond Seward, Prince of the Renaissance: The Golden Life of Francois I, (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., 1973), 157-159.
36. Rygg, 100.
37. Cohen, 6.
38. Mabel Dolmetsch, Dances of Spain and Italy from 1400-1600, (New York, Da Capo Press, 1975), 132.
39. Chris Murray, ed., 174-175.
40. Lincoln Kirstein, Four Centuries of Ballet: Fifty Masterworks, (New York, Dover Publications Inc., 1984), 54.
41. Rygg, 92.
42. Cohen, 19.
43. Rygg, 84.
44. Ibid., 79.
45. Chris Murray, ed., 182.
46. James M. Saslow, Florentine Festival as Theatrum Mundi: The Medici Wedding of 1589, (New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1996), 19.
47. Ibid., 42.
48. Ibid., 44.
49. Ibid., 40.
50. Ibid., 32.
51. Ibid., 30.
52. Ibid., 158.
53. Cohen, 8.
54. Thoinot Arbeau, trans. By Mary Stewart Evans, Orchesography, (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1967), 59.
55. Ibid.,
56. John Rudlin, Commedia Dell' Arte: An Actor's Handbook, (New York: Rutledge, 1994), 34.
57. Ibid., 35.
58. Cohen, et al. Eds., International Encyclopedia of Dance, Vol. 2, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), 189.
59. Ibid., 190.
60. Cantarella, 201.
61. Saslow, 51.
62. Rudin, 24.
63. Louis Horst, Pre-Classic Dance Forms, (New York: Dance Horizons, Inc., 1968) pp. 35 and 43
64. Williamson, 265-66.
65. Ibid., 265.
66. Chris Murray, ed., 98.
67. Chris Murray, ed., 99.
42. Georgio Vasari, The marriage in 1533 of Catherine de' Medici to Henri de Valois, son of Francis I, as reproduced in Henry II, King of France1574-1559, Frederic J. Baumgartner, (London and Durham: Yale University Press, 1988) p. 192.
43. Tournament of Henri II of France in Nouvelle Histoire de France, Vol. 10, M. Julien Cain, ed., (Paris: Librairie Tallandier, 1968), p. 1268.
44. Charles IX, son of Catherine de' Medici, as reproduced in Historic Costume in Pictures, Braun and Schneider, (New York: Dover Publications Inc.,1975), Plate 43.
45. Royal progress of Charles V, king of Spain met by King Francis I of France, as reproduced in Cultural Atlas of France, Chris Murray, ed., (Simon & Schuster Inc., 1993), p. 166.
46. St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572, Painted by Francçoise Dubais, a protestant who survived the bloodshed, in Catherine de' Medici, Hugh Ross Williamson, (New York, Viking Press, Inc., 1973), p. 226, 227.
47. Vasari, Ananias Healing the Blinded Saul, 1551, as reproduced in Giorgio Vasari: Architect and Courtier, Leon Satkowski, (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993), Plate 22.
48. Piero de Cosimo, "Satyr mourning a nymph," as reproduced in Paintings in Renaissance Florence, 1500 - 1550, David Franklin, (New Haven: Yale University Press 2001), Plate 28.
49. Andrea Mantegna, Parnassus as reproduced in the Cultural Atlas of the Renaissance, (New York: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1993), p. 59.
50. Andrea Mantegna, Battle of the Sea Gods, as reproduced at http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/arth110-fall98/seagods.JPG
51. Etched body armor for horse and knight, mid sixteenth century, as reproduced in Warriors and Worthies: Arms and Armor through the Ages, Helmut Nickel, (New York: McClelland and Steward, Ltd., 1969), p. 72.
52. Raphael, portrait of Castiglione as reproduced in Castiglione: The Ideal and the Real in Renaissance Culture, Nobert W. Hanning and David Rosand, eds., (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1983), p. 93.
53. François I, on horseback in Prince of the Renaissance: The Golden Life of François I, Desmond Seward, (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1973), Frontispiece
54. Niccolò Bellin, "François I as a composite deity shown with the attributes of Mars, Minerva, Diana and Mercury" as reproduced at http://www.bnf.fr/loc/bnf0004.htm
55. Francesco Primaticcio, Alexander taming Bucephalus. Fresco flanked by caryatids as reproduced in Renaissance warrior and patron, Robert Knecht, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 418.
56. Giambologna, "Medici Mercury", bronze statue, in The Revival of the Olympian gods in Renaissance Art, Luba Freedman, (England: Cambridge University Press, 2003) p. 194.
57. Antoine Caron, "Festivities for the Reception of the Polish Ambassadors", in Catherine de Médicis, Ivan Cloulas, (France, Cameron Press, 1988), Fig. 23.
58. Henri III (Anjou) on horseback as reproduced in Nouvelle Historire de France, v. 12., M. Julien Cain, ed., ((Paris: Librairie Tallandier, 1968) p. 1493.
59. Raphael, Poetry Roundrel, Renaissance Art in France: The Invention of Classicism, Henri Zerner (Paris: Editions Flammarion, 2003), p. 85.
60. Giraudon, portrait supposed to be that of Pierre de Ronsard, in Nouvelle Histoire de France, Les grandes heures de la Renaissance, Book II, Julien Cain, ed., (Paris: Librairie Jules Tallandier, 1968), p. 1344.
61. The Four Virtues as reproduced in Balet Comique de la Royne, 1582.62. (Torino: Bottega d'Erasmo, 1965), p. 41.
62. Bernardo Buontalenti, "Costume design, two dancing women" as reproduced in The Medici Wedding of 1859, James M. Saslow, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996), Plate 8.
63. Pinturicchio, Detail, music fresco as reproduced in Daily Life in Renaissance Italy, Charles L. Mee, Jr. (New York: American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1975) p. 58.
64. Lodewyk Toeput, Engraving, Venetian Carnival Scene, c. 1580 as reproduced in The Commedia Dell' Arte, Winifred Smith, (New York: Benjamin Blom, Inc., 1964), p. 293.
65. Jacques Callot, Balli de Sfessania, Scene from the Commedia dell' Arte with open stage in the background as reproduced in The Early commedia dell' arte (1550-1621), Paul C. Castagno, (New York: Peter lang Publishing, Inc., 1994) Figure 35.
66. Harlequin and Columbine, as reproduced in Harlequin's Stick, Charlie's Cane, David Madden, (Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1975), p.17.
67. Jules Romain (Romano), Ballet de'Apollon et les Muses, fresco, as reproduced in La Renaissance II, Elie-Charles Flamand, (Lausanne, 1965) p.38.


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50 Cent threw out such a horrible first pitch for the Mets-Pirates game on Tuesday night that people are still talking (and laughing) about it. The rapper threw with his left hand and some are wondering if maybe he's right handed because his throw was really that bad. After the embarrassing ball throw, 50 Cent laughed it off and blamed it on his alter ego, Curtis Jackson. According to a Wednesday report by the New York Daily News, 50 Cent may have thrown the worst first pitch in the history of Citi Field.
It couldn't have been nerves, could it? Whatever it was that prompted 50 Cent to let go of the ball early and cause it to sail grossly to the left certainly has people talking. The opening pitch of the Mets-Pirates game at Citi Field was so bad that it almost hit a camera man who was standing squarely in what normally is considered a safe zone.
Footage of his warm up pitches show that 50 Cent knows how to throw a ball. Prior to the game, he was sending the baseball smoothly over home plate with no trouble at all. When talking about his awful throw, 50 Cent blamed it on Curtis Jackson (his real name) by telly a SportsNet reporter, "50 Cent is the best. Curtis Jackson, I don't know what's the matter with him."
There have been some other horrible first pitches in the history of baseball. Remember Howard Stern producer Baba Booey? Another one for the record books was Carl Lewis' first pitch at the Seattle Mariners game in 1993. Remember when he threw the ball and it hit the ground before it even made it halfway to home plate? That was pretty bad too but at least it was straight. Lewis' ball bounced to the pitcher, not into a camera man.
That said, it's hard not to conclude that 50 Cent threw the worst first pitch ever. Especially for someone you would expect to have a bit of athletic ability. Sorry Fiddy, it looks like you might be playing outfield in the next celebrity softball tournament. Way, way back in the outfield. Make sure to check out the video of 50 Cent throwing the wildly awkward first pitch on Tuesday night.
Suggested Links
- 50 Cent claims he wasn't invited to son's high school graduation
- V. Stiviano to join 'Basketball Wives' rumors: Check out what Shaunie says
- David Schwimmer helps NYPD nab the stabber
- Is Beyonce looking to divorce Jay Z after 'On The Run' tour?
- Perez Hilton defends Iggy Azalea from K. Michelle criticism

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, May 30, 2010
Are you following me???
Which brings me to ask the same question...are you following me? A few weeks ago I mentioned giving away my extra sandwich wrap that I made when I hit 200 followers. I'm just reminding you that that offer is still on!
Isn't this Amy Butler Love print to die for?! So what are you waiting for? Come follow me!
Oh, and if we hit 250 followers, the next giveaway is one of my driftwood sailboats. All you have to do, is click on follow, and one winner will be randomly chosen.
So come follow me!!!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Garage sale find Friday
This beautiful lamp for a mere $2. Isn't it great in my front window?
And this cool old tool box for only 50 cents and this antique glass jug for only $1
I got these two ball jars for $1, and think they make a great match for my wreath stand that I bought last year at a garage sale for $1.
Not a shabby weekend haul for only $4.50! Did you find anything fun this weekend?
Linking up at this great site
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Macgyver dress
I didn't take step by step pictures for a tutorial this time. So sorry! If you sew though, it's pretty easy to figure it out. I used the pillowcases natural opening as the hem and cut the bottom off of the shirt and the pillowcase. I even made a belt from what I had leftover from the pillowcase. After I sewed the two pieces together, I used elastic thread in my bobbin and did four rows of shirring at the waist.
I think it turned out really cute...my husband does not. What do you think?
I'm linking up to a few of these parties
Monday, May 17, 2010
Garage sale find Friday
Two vintage tea towels.
An embroidered pillowcase
This funky coordinating fabrics that probably used to be napkins
And this round tablecloth that has hand embroidered flowers.
And check out this gem. I got 5 old burlap potato sacks for $2. Not sure what I am going to do with them yet (maybe use it as wall art?), but I thought they were pretty cool. Did you find anything fun?
Another blog award!!!
Thanks Nikki for the award. I appreciate it!
Friday, May 14, 2010
A blog award!
I'm extremely flattered that someone sees my little blog as an inspiration. I hope I can keep inspiring! Thanks for the award! I appreciate it Jan!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Reusable Sandwich Wrap with Matching Baggie and GIVEAWAY!!!
There were several projects that caught my eye. I'm looking forward to finding more cashmere sweaters at garage sales this summer to piece together and make a patchwork blanket. In the meantime, I needed to make my daughter a new sandwich wrap.
I bought one for Isabella a few years ago, and it finally bit the dust. I'm quite sure that a handful of aluminum trees were saved because she used her wrap n mat ! Her mat held up quite well over the past few school years, and if you are looking to buy one (as opposed to trying to make one), I would highly recommend getting one (I get nothing from giving them a plug, just so you know!). I could make one, and I found a killer fabric (the main reason!), so I thought I would try my hand at it.
Here's the link to Betz White's reusable sandwich wrap tutorial (sort of) . If you want the actual pattern, buy the book!
The directions in the book were so easy to follow. And while I didn't use PUL like suggested, I picked up Amy Butler's Love oilcloth fabric (why wouldn't I fall in love with the fabric that cost $19.99 a yard!!!) and used iron on vinyl to make the whole thing waterproof instead. The 1/3 yard of fabric made two sandwich wraps, and a baggie (directions not included in the book, just a pattern I threw together on my own). There is even enough left over to possibly make an actual lunch bag. Or, I may make more baggies...stay tuned.
In the meantime, my follower count is creeping up and I have decided that when I hit 200 followers (seriously, stalkers, follow me!) I would give away the extra sandwich wrap that I whipped up this week. So, hit follow on that sidebar, and keep your eyes peeled for that announcement when we hit 200 and I "draw" that lucky number out of my computer generated hat!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Free box makeover
The hubby took the front cover off of it, bagged up all the inside goodies and tossed those for me. Isn't he super?!
Then I cleaned it out and painted it white.
I printed up some numbers in various fonts and sizes and then cut them out (yep, painful!) and mod podged them to each little "cubby".
Isn't it cool?
Then I pulled out some of my shells from my collection and put them inside. I really like it and the best part...IT WAS FREE!!!
I'm linking up to some of these parties!
I love rock N roll
I actually found The Fickle Pickle from a feature on The Creative Crate. Isn't this board amazing? I love it!
And this custom tutu! How stinkin' cute!!!
Stacie has such a fun blog . I love all of her features. She also has some crazy cool rings that she's made.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Garage sale find Friday
I also found this little birdie for $1.50. She's part of a set and I love that she's already roughed up a bit. You can also check out my vintage binoculars, not a find from today, but something I picked up a few years ago.
Who doesn't need vintage buttons? I got all three baggies for $1. And really, you always need buttons, especially if you sew, which I do!
Check out this cool old gas station flag. It was only $1 because it's not in the best shape, but sometimes vintage goodness looks cooler with a little wear and tear. I'm hoping in our next house to have a bonus room that I can decorate with lots of vintage finds and this is one of the first things I would put in there.
For real?! An autentic roughed up bowling pin! And for free ninety nine (thanks Suz!). Another lovely thing to add to my built in bookcases in the bonus room that I dream about.
And speaking of vintage finds, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this old fire glass bell thing (what would you call it?). Again, something I hope to be putting on the wall in my new bonus room. Don't you just love decorating for a house you don't have?! I do!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Sewing Green
I am borrowing it from the library (shocker!) and have flipped through it numerous times each time getting inspired by what I see. I have recently taken to refashioning and repurposing my own creations (just peruse my blog to see some of them), and this book has given me some new ideas to run with. You can pick up your own copy here , or at your local library. But believe me, you are going to want a copy of your own. I know I do!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
How to make a driftwood sailboat
After about a half an hour of beach combing, I picked up nearly all the supplies I needed. I grabbed various sizes of driftwood and as many long skinny straight sticks as I could find. The rest of the supplies, I had on hand. I used muslin and a glue gun to piece them together.
I then paired up the driftwood and a stick, and sweet talked my hubby into doing the hard part.
He took calipers to the wood stick, measured it and found the right size drill bit (he tried one smaller than the measurement) and drilled a hole making sure he didn't go all the way through to the bottom. You need a real tight fit so the stick fits snugly in the drilled hole.
I must apologize at this point for not having any pictures of the process of making the sails. Each driftwood piece is different, so I just measured how high up I wanted the sail and then how far out I wanted it on each side and cut at an angle on both pieces (you will end up with two triangles). I nearly failed geometry so you probably shouldn't trust me when I say it was a right triangle. Honestly, I have no idea what kind of triangle it is! I tried to always make one triangle just a bit smaller than the other.
I like how casual and beachy they are.
I also thought I would show you a few other details of the day. Isn't this cake amazing?! It had so many fun details from the handmade candy life preservers, to the various nautical flags. Wish I could take credit for making it, but I can't. My sister in law has a friend who makes these. Let me know if you are in the Seattle area and want her information.
The banner was made with die cuts and scrapbook paper that was sand and shells.


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Gosh! I can't believe the week went by that fast. Sheesh! Already Friday. Do you have any great plans for the weekend? We celebrated Mr. S's birthday last weekend and so this weekend we're taking it a bit easy. I'm working on my green ponte knit dress – same dress pattern as my denim shirtdress. I have a plan to whip out at least 3 garments each month this year and its going to happen, or else….
I wanted to spotlight a few new additions to the shop this week! I meant to do this in a different post, but you know how it goes. The week sometimes slips away from ya. Anyways, I've finally got my shipment of wooden pressing tools in. I've had the point turners and pressers for awhile, but now I've added clappers and the two in one point presser and clapper (WOW! OK, I just sold out of the point presser and clappers, but friends, don't worry! I just put in another order – they'll be back in stock within the week!). I'm pretty impressed with them myself. They are rather fabulous and can I add, hard to find. These little ditties were not the easiest things to get my hands on. But I'm pretty sure they're here to stay now. Yay!
This week's spotlighted garment comes from Lavender over at ThreadSquare. Ummm…. she hand worked the buttonholes on this blouse. I have a thing for those if you remember and I seriously think the world of anyone that at least gives them a try! Her buttonholes look marvelous as does this fabulous blouse! She used crochet cotton for her's – a great idea. Take it from Lavender (and me) do not try these bad boys with embroidery floss – its a very hateful experience. Amazing work Lavender – you're a peach in red.
This fabulous-ness flashed through my reader this week and I can't decide which I love more – the beautifully tailored suits or the masks. There's just something about a man in a good suit that makes me a little weak in the knees. But gosh, a guy in a suit with a mask – does that mean they wouldn't talk back? I faint…
More inspiration that's caught my eye this week:
✂ Did you catch this girl's masking tape dress? It's rather amazing, do check it out.
✂ I die over this girl's tailored jacket. Leopard print lining is a must for at least one garment, I think.
✂ I'm so jealous that I don't have this fabric and even more jealous that this delightful top isn't mine. Just fuming green with jealousy.
✂ Don't miss Casey's post on what to look for when you've got a thing for vintage style shoes, but you don't have the budget for them.
✂ I. Love. This. Coat.
✂ Doesn't everyone need a stuffed mustache?
✂ I nearly fell off my chair with laughter after reading "i almost wrote your name on my spelling test."
✂ This is something to keep in mind the next time you're sure you cut something on grain but the print is obviously off grain.
✂ How cute is this applique? Something great to keep in mind for Spring for sure.
Have a lovely weekend!


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Payment Systems: The Essentials is part Aspen's new Essentials Series, which takes a "forest rather than the trees" approach to teaching. This concise paperback concentrates on the fundamentals of payment systems and uses a relaxed, personal style to explain them. Suitable for use with any casebook, this text will help students recognize and understand common themes and precipitate understanding of the topics under discussion. Written by Ronald Mann, a renowned scholar in commercial law and electronic commerce, this superior text: features an engaging style and is well written, direct, and concise splits the book into two parts, consumer payment systems and large-dollar commercial payment systems, For easier reference provides a general overview of payment systems that combines a practical explanation of the systems with a discussion of the policy issues they present for regulators Payment Systems: The Essentials can be a valuable resource for your students regardless of which casebook you use in your classroom. Exam a copy today and you will immediately see why you can confidently recommend this outstanding study aid to your students.


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OK, I know this has been a problem for a while, and I know by now this really old Pentium II laptop is really really really obsolete. However, I have installed Lubuntu 10.10 on this laptop and things seem to work fine except the sound.
Now I've read and gone through a bunch of tutorials and guides to working around this, none of which have worked. I have gone through this Ubuntu bug report and that doesn't work either.
The problem I think is that the latest workaround is (understandably) about two Ubuntu versions behind. Now I'm not sure what has changed since then to make that workaround not work, but I would appreciate any help.


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The measles virus used as cancer treatment incredibly put a woman's incurable cancer into remission. Doctors created a highly concentrated dose of the measles virus and it was administered to a woman who has been battling multiple myeloma for 10 years, Stacy Erholtz is in remission from this cancer of the blood, according to CNN News on May 15.
Erholtz had been treated with countless rounds of the different types of chemotherapy that are used to treat this incurable cancer just to have the disease return again and again. Her doctors at the Mayo Clinic have performed stem cell transplants on two occasions and again she relapsed.
According to USA Today, Erholtz said she decided to go for this trial because she was of the mindset that she didn't have any options left, so "why wouldn't I do it?" She also said it was the easiest of the treatments that she has undergone so far and it came with very few side effects.
Erholtz who was one of two patients who received the concentrated measles virus dose last year. The measles virus she was treated with was similar to the measles vaccine and she received enough of the virus to vaccinate about 10 million people The lead doctor on the study, Dr. Stephen Russell said:
"The idea here is that a virus can be trained to specifically damage a cancer and to leave other tissues in the body unharmed."
This has been done before, said Russell. It is called virothearpy and this concept has been used before with other viruses, but this is the first time it achieved results of this magnitude. Never before has this virothearpy put a patient into remission whose cancer had spread throughout their entire body.
"Fox and Friends" live on Friday morning are calling this a "miracle" while it is too early to make a claim of a cancer cure, the possibility of this happening sometime in the future is not far-fetched. So far Erholts has been cancer free for six-months. She was the only one of the two patients to reach full-remission. The other patient's cancer returned in nine-months.
Russell credits the success with how his team "pushed this dose higher than others have pushed it" in the past. The amount of virus in the blood stream is crucial, as the amount of the virus going into the bloodstream is critical to the amount of virus getting into the tumors.
Mayo Clinical researcher Dr. Angela Diapenzieri explains how this works in simple layman's terms saying; "The measles virus makes the cells join together and explode." She said that there is also evidence that suggests that the virus is "stimulating the patient's immune system." This helps it recognize any recurring cancer cells and "mop it up."
Explaining the way the measles virus works in this concept really helps the average person understand why and how this works. While the results are extremely exciting so far, this treatment is still in the early stages, so it is not something that will be available in the near future.
The virus worked on the multiple myeloma patients, but the researchers don't know if it will work on other types of cancers. Researchers are creating more of this highly concentrated measles virus for a larger scaled trial at the Mayo Clinic.
The researchers have developed a way to manufacture large amounts of the virus. What does this mean for the future? Russell claims:
"We recently have begun to think about the idea of a single shot cure for cancer -- and that's our goal with this therapy."


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Portrait of Harold Gatty and Wiley Post
Wiley Post first gained international acclaim for his 1931 around-the-world flight with navigator Harold Gatty (left).
Image Number: NASM 77-11789
Credit: National Air and Space Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution
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Moon-DNA is an exclusive and original collection inspired by the most fascinating human adventure of all: the conquest of space. It pays homage to the Moon itself, to the technological breakthroughs as well as to the men behind these adventures and to the achievements of all those who have conquered space. Nations have fought to be the first ones there; generations have been fascinated by it. Using authentic and certified elements such as Moon dust, fragments of the Apollo 11 or fibers from an International Space Station spacesuit, this collection celebrates the Moon itself and the achievements of all those who have conquered space.
Using technical brilliance and highly innovative materials, RJ-Romain Jerome has adopted a revolutionary approach with the collection. From dial, case to strap, each part of this timepiece is inspired and influenced by space. Infused by key elements of lunar landings, the Moon Dust collection combines authentic materials with RJ expertise. Steel from the actual Apollo 11 spacecraft have been incorporated into the case. Authentic Moon dust is combined with natural pigments to give the dial the nuances and hues that adorn the Moon, fibers from a spacesuit are carefully woven into the crocodile leather strap. The design of the dial echoes the journey, inspired by spacecraft solar panels and the landing target featured on some models, and reflects the surface of the Moon.
Symbolic and striking, the Moon Invader collection celebrates man's galactic achievements and adventures. With a technically complex yet highly sophisticated case, the design of the watch evokes memories of the lunar mission. Four screws and four ball and socket joints surround the case like the feet of the lunar landing pod, also known as the LEM, and form the X that has become a tradition on RJ dials.
Like the tire strands on lunar roving vehicles and as an industry first, the Moon Invader dial's "mesh pattern" creates a high tech screen over its multiple layers. Superluminova enriches the inner bezel rings and hands, adding to the intricate detail and aesthetic subtlety of the Moon Invader collection. The special Moon SilverRJ plate, a special silver alloy incorporating Moon dust, on the stellar case-back of the watch, is a powerful promise of the Moon on the wrist.


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Michelle "Shelly" Fournier, 38, a long time resident of the Forbes St. Group
Home, Riverside died peacefully on Saturday, March 17th at the Phillip Hulitar Hospice
Center, Providence. She was the beloved daughter of the late Patricia (McKinnon) Fournier and Paul J. Fournier Sr., of Bristol and his wife Gloria.
Shelly is survived by her eight brothers and sisters:
-Paul and Susan (Moody) Fournier of Pawtucket
-Patricia and Terrence Moran of Providence
-Mary and Michael Collins of Pomfret CT.,
-Elizabeth and David Laliberte of Rumford,
-Ann and Robert England of Cumberland
-Kathleen and Greg Coogan Barrington
-Suzanne and Maurice Mitchell of Milton MA
-John and Michelle (Rainho) Fournier of Seekonk MA
She also leaves her nieces and nephews, Lauren and Alison Fournier, Jamie, Terry, Maggie Moran, Michael, Christopher, Maura, Katie and Joseph Collins, Morgan, Maddie, Patti and David LaLiberte, Robert and Patrick England, Bridget, Mary, Maggie, and Thomas Mitchell, Ben, Molly, Anna, and Danny Coogan, Brady and Nate Fournier.
A graduate of Meeting Street School, Shelly touched many lives with her
beautiful smile. Despite her limitations, she could always be counted on for her happy disposition.
There will be a Mass of Christian Burial for Shelly Thursday, March 22, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Teresa's Church, 358 Newport Avenue, Pawtucket. Her burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Pawtucket. Calling hours are respectfully omitted. For online condolences please visit www.manningheffern.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to LIFE Inc., 490 Metacom Avenue, Bristol R.I., 02809.


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Dec 17, 2010 9:46 AM
A Williams and Sonoma exclusive, the Star Wars™ Heroes & Villains Cookie Cutters ($20) would make an excellent baking accessory for that Star Wars fanatic. You know the one. "Young Padawan bakers will have fun creating a fleet of cookies to re-enact their favorite galactic battles" with Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett and a stormtrooper. Couldn't have said it better ourselves, W&S.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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Debris captured on satellite images may be pieces of the missing Malaysian plane floating off the coast of Australia. The satellite images show two large pieces, big enough to be a wing or the tail of an airliner, according to "Fox and Friends" live on Thursday morning March 20. If this latest discovery turns out to be the debris of Malaysian flight 370, the same scenario that brought golfer Payne Stewart's plane down is suggested as a possible scenario for the missing Malaysian plane.
NBC News reports today that the debris were spotted about 1,400 miles off of Perth Australia in the satellite images. These debris have not been found by the many ships and planes now deployed to the area to investigate what these floating objects are exactly. Until they are found, it is purely speculation that the debris are from the missing Malaysian flight.
This area where the debris were spotted seems to be consistent with the distance that the plane was expected to have traveled before running out of fuel. The plane had about seven hours of fuel left when it fell off the radar. The debris are about seven hours, more or less, away from the last radar sighting of the plane. Debris in this area would also support the Payne Stewart-like scenario buzzing across the media today.
Steve Doocy spoke with John Hansman, professor of aeronautics at MIT, this morning and if these are the debris of the ill-fated flight 370 then the Payne Stewart scenario would explain many of the unexplained factors of the missing plane going down in this area.
Golfer Payne Stewart and his entourage were flying in a privately owned Learjet when the plane lost contact with air traffic control, about 30 minutes into the flight. Stewart, two associates and two pilots were on board the aircraft when it had lost cabin pressure, killing everyone on board.
Planes sent up to investigate were able to see frosted windows on Stewart's jet. Stewart's plane went on for hours in automatic pilot mode, crossing half the continent before running out of fuel and crashing nose-down into a Mina, S.D. field.
At one point two military fighter jets were sent up to try and peer into the window of Stewart's plane. They noted that the windows were iced over. According to an archival article from USA Today, a sudden loss of cabin pressure is called "explosive decompression." It is believed this is what happened on Stewart's plane. This "explosive decompression comes with a loud bang as all the air gushes out of the aircraft's cabin.
When the air in the cabin suddenly escapes, after the loud bang it is an immediate and frightening event that follows. Dust flies up and any moisture in the cabin vaporizes, causing a fog so thick that a pilot or passenger might not be able to see their hand in front of their face. This immediately frosts the windshield of the aircraft.
This fogging up of the cabin is instantaneous with the loss of cabin pressure, so you could imagine that confusion and panic could break out. If the missing Malaysian plane lost cabin pressure and flew on autopilot until it ran out of fuel, then this is about the distance the Malaysian plane would have traveled with the amount of fuel on board.
Again this is all speculation, as Hansman said, as the satellite images can be that of pieces of a plane or it could also be something else, such as a shipping container that fell overboard, but there is something there. Steve Doocy said that one of the pieces captured by the satellite image is about 80-feet long, which is also the length of a shipping container.
This is the second time that debris were thought to be discovered from the missing plane. The first time it turned out to be just junk floating in the ocean. This time it is the Australian government that is releasing this information after having experts go over the satellite images.
The Australian's are highly respected and no one would expect that they would release this information if they didn't think there was a strong possibility of the debris being from the missing plane. The Australian government also warns that the debris could very well be just ocean junk and have nothing to do with flight 370, but at this point every possibility needs to be investigated.
If the debris picked up by the satellite are those of the missing aircraft, then another problem pops up. The ocean in that area can reach the depth of two miles, which would make retrieving the black boxes a difficult task. One expert on "Fox and Friends" said that at that distance it would be tough, but not impossible.


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Had an "a ha!" moment this weekend - it wasn't a good one
Monday, April 22, 2013
Why can I not see my own body? I mean really see it. For what it really is.
I know I've gained weight. I can see it on the scale. I can see it in the sizes of clothing I'm wearing again. But I look into the mirror, and don't really see it.
I get glimpses every once in a while. I'll be walking past a mirror and see the extra abdominal weight I'm carrying again. Or I'll start to see the dimples in that fat deposit when I start to make progress.
But in all honesty, I don't see how much weight I've gained overall.
I don't see when I'm loosing it either. It took a long time for me to see the weight I lost last time. It's taking a long time for me to see the weight I've gained back.
This weekend, I saw just how I'm looking again. Just how much weight I've gained. It hurt.
I'm mostly hurt because I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed that I did this to myself. That I let it happen. That I didn't see it soon enough to stop it. That I was weak. That I let my emotions take over, and stopped doing what was right for my body - eating right, fueling my body rather than padding it, exercising.
Right then and there I committed myself to change it. I've done it once. I'll do it again.
I'm off work right now. That's not to say I won't keep looking, but I don't have the stress/time constraints of working right now. I know there is stress being out of work too, so I'll have to deal with that.
I need to be vigilant with what I eat, and when I eat it.
I need to move more. I know I've been struggling with my running training, and I honestly don't get why. I also need more than just running.
Overall, I need motivation. I've obviously got some blocks keeping me where I am. I need to work through them. Again.
I'm feeling a little overwhelmed this morning. We got home last night about 9pm, had supper and went to bed. We still have to unload the car today. And of course unpack. Hubby has it well underway. I'm just getting started.
Time to go and do what I need to. Get this day started.
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I've been where you are a few times. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and others have been effective for me BUT I always gained the weight back! This time I know I can do it because this is a lifestyle change for me not a diet.
I always thought I looked pretty good until I got that reality check in the mirror one day. The other reality check was being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and watching my blood sugars starting to climb. I know you can do this. Never, never give up!
1159 days ago
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I can totally identify with you here. I was going through my closet to donate clothes and I found a pair of size 12 jeans. I held them up and I just stood there. Hubby was like whats up? I wore these 7 months ago. He said 'yeah?' When I had them on at the time I felt like I had so much more weight to lose and now that I have gained 35 lbs they look so skinny.
I can't believe I let anything get me back to this point. This is not who I am. We can do this together!
1159 days ago
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Artificial sweeteners cane and corn sweeteners and citric acid are fast weight gain tags and may need to be reduced or avoided for a while. A can of diet soda is real trouble. Love your body accept how it works and work with it. Believing you are guilty is a feelings misconception. You are what you eat. Eat sweet think sweet but love the effective process. A fast gain might be a sign of inflammation from a bad reaction to something lack of sleep or hormone shifting. Poor mood is not a win and real so love your self right past it. You can work through it and move on when laughter and gumption can turn the tables to lose weight. Rethink the off putting thinking that interferes with success. I believe in you.
1159 days ago
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Recommitting yourself is a step in the right direction! Never give up on yourself, you can do this!!!
1160 days ago
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So you finally had that "a-HA!" moment. Good. Some of us need that clunk on the head to see the need to make changes. I had a huge bump on mine for months when I had that moment too.
On motivation: Would you like me to be nice or honest? Honest it is. :-D Motivation has to be one of the hardest things to keep up, to keep alive, and to keep you fired up. My original motivation for losing the weight was that I wanted to keep up with My Guy in all the activities we did, and not have to ask him to slow down so I could catch up. Now that he's passed away, you're probably wondering how I'm managing to keep up the motivation. Thing is, about 4 years after the "a-HA!" moment, my motivation changed from keeping up with him to doing stuff for myself. That was nearly 7 years ago. I had managed to shift it from someone else back to myself. I also had to find ways to remember, and let it sink in, that I'm worth the effort. I still go through bouts of insecurities on what I really want out of life, but one thing is now for sure, I have to keep up the weight loss (and later weight maintenance) program, so that I can live freely and be (stay) happy.
As you work through the "blocks", you know you will encounter some nasty, horrid, don't-wanna-revisit issues from your past. The best advice I can give you is to not work on them all at once. That's the same as being "perfect" on the food and fitness during the first month. You'll make progress, but you'll burn out by the end of the month. So tackle them, but only a little at a time. Your mental health with thank you for it.
1160 days ago
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Sometimes I don't feel that overweight until I see myself in a photo. Try taking a photo and some measurements. This will help you see a difference when you're loosing but can't tell where or how much progress you've made. I hate taking measurements but when you take them again 2 months from now it will be awesome to say I lost an inch around my arms/thighs/waist etc...even if you can't see the difference in the mirror.
Try joining a running team here on SP. They can help motivate you and help with any problems you are going through.
1160 days ago
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Don't be so hard on yourself. You see now where you need to make changes and are setting into motion what needs to be done. You'll do it.
1160 days ago
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Good for you for recognizing that you need some change and motivation. What do you think it will take for you to find that motivation? You can do this! =)
1160 days ago
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Keep Sparking!!! Taking advantage of the time you have off work can prove to be very beneficial. Hang In There!!
1160 days ago
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This is so right on for me as well! I know I gained the weight back but I still don't think of myself as that big until I see my reflection in the right angle and I feel a sense of disbelief that I got back to this point. You're not alone... one step at a time in the right direction is all we can do until we are ready to run.
1160 days ago
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Wow, in talking about how you view yourself and your weight gain, it could have been me talking! Knowing that I did this to myself, though, tells me that I am the one that has control over turning this ship around. I feel out of control quite often in my life. Eating is something I can totally control. That means I need to do it! Gotta be intentional about being healthy. We can both do this!
1160 days ago
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St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School holds Junior BETA Club Induction
Published: Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:47 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:47 p.m.
The St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School Junior BETA Club Induction was recently held with the Rep. Trey Gowdy as guest speaker.
Front row, from left: President, Rebecca Funderburk; Adriana Sierra, Vice-President; Secretary, Perry Sykes; Treasurer, Drew Lyons. Back row: Guest speaker, Trey Gowdy; Father Timothy Gahan; BETA Club Advisor, Faith Alspaugh; Principal, Patricia Lanthier.
Call, email or mail Ashley Dill at:
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-- firstname.lastname@example.com
-- Town Square, Herald-Journal, P.O. Box 1657, Spartanburg, SC 29304
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Currently the Ink People's gallery in eureka remains closed but not entirely because of the earthquake.
After speaking with Jesse Jonathon of the Ink People Center for the Arts, coordinator for MARZ, Media and Arts Research Zone, the youth outreach branch of the Ink People, their classes have been moved to the Carson Block Building in suits 36-39. While they aren't able to continue with all their classes most have moved to this building and will proceed as normal.
According to Jesse, the quake that shook the county shifted load barring walls, and caused plaster to fall. While the structural damage is significant but repairable, the concern now lies with supposed asbestos that may have been trapped within the walls.
While the asbestos may not have been a problem in the past, when it becomes airborne that is when it can cause illnesses such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. The Ink People Center for the Arts is working closely with city officials to get to the bottom of the situation and have the Ink Peoples building up and running as soon as possible. Estimated repair times vary from 6 weeks to 6 months.
For the time being check them out at the Carson Block Building, 517 3rd street, Suites 36-39, become a fan of The Ink People Center for the Arts on Facebook, or call them at (707) 411-4248 to catch the latest updates, pictures and more info about their situation and upcoming classes and events.


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College Hockey:Hockey East picks, Oct. 6-10, 2012
It seems almost unthinkable that the college hockey season is already upon us. This weekend (and week to come), there are three games involving Hockey East teams. So let's kick off our season of predictions.
Saturday, Oct. 6
Quinnipiac at Maine
Jim's pick: The Black Bears lost a lot but do return Dan Sullivan in net, which to me gives them an edge.
Maine 5, QU 3
Dave's pick: I see Maine coming out ahead as well, but in a much lower scoring game. The Black Bears won't have the 2011-2012 power play and first line lighting up the scoreboard so will need to win more in the defensive zone.
Maine 3, QU 2
Merrimack at Union
Jim's pick: Though the Warriors are coming off two pretty solid seasons, Union is coming off its first Frozen Four appearance.
Union 3, MC 1
Dave's pick: Merrimack has been a feel-good story in Hockey East the last couple years, but I expect a tough time in the early going.
Union 4, MC 2
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Merrimack at Northeastern
Jim's pick: The Hockey East slate begins both early and midweek this season. The fact that Merrimack will have one game under its belt will help the Warriors.
Dave's pick: I'm going with the Huskies at home. The Warriors are likely to need quite a few games under their belts before they effectively replace D-zone studs Joe Cannata and Karl Stollery.
The following is a self-policing forum for discussing views on this story. Comments that are derogatory, make personal attacks, are abusive, or contain profanity or racism will be removed at our discretion. USCHO.com is not responsible for comments posted by users. Please report any inappropriate or offensive comments by clicking the "Flag" link next to that comment in order to alert the moderator.
Please also keep "woofing," taunting, and otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior to a minimum. Your posts will more than likely be deleted, and worse yet, you reflect badly on yourself, your favorite team and your conference.


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Sweety song
3 Sweety song Articles
Bobby Jasoos song Sweety making: Vidya Balan and Ali Fazal have go crazy in this wedding song!2 years ago 0
Shantanu Moitra's Hyderabadi wedding song makes everyone on the sets go crazy and dance The maker of Bobby Jasoos have released the making video of… Read Article ▶
Bobby Jasoos song Sweety: Vidya Balan wins hearts with her expressions!2 years ago 0
The makers of the film have released the full video of Sweety. Watch and tell us what you think Bobby Jasoos song Sweety starring Vidya Balan and… Read Article ▶
Bobby Jasoos song Sweety teaser: Vidya Balan looks pretty all decked up!2 years ago 0
The teaser of Bobby Jasoos' new song is out. Watch and tell us what you think The makers of Vidya Balan starrer Bobby Jasoos have released the… Read Article ▶