Ginchy Gal of the Week: Mary Blair

 Hey there princess!

Mary Blair was born on October 21, 1911 and is well-known throughout the Disney community for her artistic contribution to classic films such as Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland as well as her designs for Disney's attraction, "It's A Small World," and her mural featured in Disney World's Contemporary Resort. 

Blair was born in McAlester, Oklahoma and moved around with her family from Texas and finally to California in the early 1920's. She attended San Jose State University and after graduation earned a post-graduate scholarship to attend the Chouinard Art Institute. After graduation, she took a job in Metro Goldwyn Mayor's art department, after not too much time she took on a role with Walt Disney Animation Studios. At first, a job at Disney wasn't Mary's cup of tea. She was given small animation roles on Dumbo and Lady in the Tramp, but really hit her stride after traveling to South America for a research tour. After experiencing the new culture, her artwork transformed and took on the bright colors and bold patterns that captured her imagination during her trip. Disney was so impressed with her work that he promoted her to Art Supervisor for the film The Three Caballeros in 1944.

Mary spent the next decade focusing on providing art direction for Disney animated features, and contributed her unique sense of color styling to create artwork that would stand the test of time. While Mary did take some time off from Disney to freelance for other companies in advertising, and also to illustrate for Little Golden Books, she was wooed back at the prospect of creating "It's A Small World for the 1964 New York World's Fair. 

Today, Mary's influence can be seen in both the Disney films and rides that her concept art influenced, as well as a resurgence of mid-century modern decor. She also completed several murals in her lifetime, including a 90-foot ceramic mural in the elevator shaft of the Contemporary Resort onsite in Walt Disney World. 

Be more like Mary:

- Draw inspiration from the beauty of the world around you.

- Don't be afraid to try new things. 

- Travel!

- Don't burn your bridges - you never know when you may want to cross them again. 

- Practice makes perfect!

Sparkle on!

Homegating: An Away Game Tradition

 Hey there princess!

The last time I had a real and true life tailgate with my family was two years ago, and it feels like even longer! Being long-time Baylor University football fans, not even a pandemic can stop us from flinging our green and gold afar on game day. We are so excited to be able to go to the game in-person with the whole family this Saturday, but since the first game of the year against Texas State was away we stuck with last year's tradition of "homegating" which has all of the fun of a tailgate, but with added air conditioning. 

The trick to having a great tailgate or homegate or whatever kind of a party you want to throw is selecting decor that you know you can reuse in the future, and food that you know everyone will eat (because we are very particular about leftovers at my house). I love adding on to my collection of Baylor paraphernalia throughout the years (eBay is a great source for folks who enjoy vintage finds), and like to keep an assortment of things that are old, new, and personally nostalgic for me and my family - like displaying the Dr Pepper bottles that we used at our wedding on the mantle. 

Football parties at home also give me the opportunity to showcase items that are too fragile for me to bring to games and display. Things like my vintage pamphlets, ceramic beer stein from the 1980 Southwest Conference Championship, and my Niles' collection of mini-helmets wouldn't typically make the trip with us to Waco. It is really nice to be able to share them with my family without risking them being broken or damaged. 

For folks just starting out in tailgating or homegating, Hobby Lobby is a really great place to start for supplies! We were able to pick up the mylar "sic 'em" balloons there for about $1 per letter, and we got the little football banner hanging beneath it for a steal as well! I painted the sign on the mantle a few years ago on a canvas that I picked up from Hobby Lobby as well and it has held up really nicely. If you, or someone in your family, is a little bit crafty - this would be pretty easy to put together with a canvas, some paint, and a paint pen. Since it is flat, it is really easy to store, and I have another one that I like to bring out just for Christmas. Hobby Lobby or Michaels are also great for paper cups, plates, and napkins in every color-scheme.

Arguably, the most important element of any party is the food. Sure - cute decorations are nice, but a party without food is just a meeting. I like to make sure that there is a mix of something for everyone. If you know a particular item won't keep super well as leftovers (I made Bang Bang Shrimp as an appetizer) then I try to make a smaller portion of it so that there won't be leftovers. Note that there isn't a photo of the shrimp - it was gone that fast! Click here for the recipe. 

For our main course we served hot dogs with chili, and for sides we had marshmallow popcorn, fruit salad, spicy Cheez-its, potato chips, and for desert we served a Baylor bear classic - Dr Pepper floats with homemade ice cream. For those wondering where the helmet serving bowl is from - Niles found it at Academy!

Truthfully, the reason I love Baylor football so much is because it is an opportunity for me to spend time with my family making new memories. I have spent years of my life at the tailgate with my parents and siblings and it doesn't matter if we are eating beanie weenies out of the can or grilling steaks, I am always having fun if I am with the people that I love. I am so excited to make even more new memories this year, and in years to come. What are you looking forward to?

Sparkle on!

Labor Day in Galveston

 Hey there princess!

What a year this is turning out to be. I now officially have the first week of school behind me, and am looking forward to starting week 2 (thankfully a four-day week) in the morning. When I went to sleep last night, we had plans for sleeping in, being lazy, and spending the day in front of the TV. When I woke up, Niles asked me "what do you think about Bubba Gump for lunch?" and all of my lazy day plans went right out the window - and I'm thankful they did! 

About an hour and a half drive from our house is Galveston's historic Pleasure Pier, which hosts amusement park rides and my personal favorite, Bubba Gump Shrimp. The weather was absolutely perfect, and surprisingly there weren't many people around the beach today. We were able to enjoy a leisurely and delicious lunch where we had a shrimp sampler (fried shrimp, popcorn shrimp, and tempura shrimp with fries, hushpuppies, and a sampling of sauces) and then walked off the calories in the shops and on the beach. 

While we didn't go into Pleasure Pier today, it does look like it might be a fun adventure for another holiday weekend. After consuming copious amounts of shrimp neither of us were looking to get on any kind of ride that spins or whirls. Still, I have always loved looking at old amusement park designs and all of the beautiful artwork on them. 

Once we finished lunch we walked along the seawall and headed into a fun little shop called Murdoch's. I have seen it before, but never been inside and now I know that it is going to have to be a repeat stop for me! They had tons of beautiful seashells and super soft beach shirts. Niles got a pair of swim trunks so that he could change out of his jeans and take a walk on the beach. 

The view from Murdoch's is also incredible and they have a little drink stand inside so that you can get something cold and relax out on their deck, which is suspended on a pier over the bay. This was such a sweet and relaxing spot, especially after all of the hustle and bustle of the first week of school. 

Honestly, I really needed and appreciated having today with Niles out on the beach to slow down and just be thankful for where I am exactly right now. Somehow, it is easier to forget my problems at the beach, and they just get washed away with the tide. I think everyone has their own happy places, and one of mine is anywhere near the water. As much as I enjoy a chill day on the couch, or the feeling of having all of the laundry done, or hanging out at the movies, nothing quite satisfies my soul like a day at the beach.

Wherever your happy place is, I hope that you can get there soon! 

Sparkle on!