Smooth, Smooth Silky Skin

Creative Consumers™ are all about unique products. That's why we are so pleased to bring you some very unique and special products in addition to fine art, hand made items and a few select ingenious products.

Sue Poff has elevated skin moisturizing to an art. Her all natural formula of apricot butter, mango butter, soy butter, jojoba oil and beeswax moisturizes, hydrates, and protects the skin. This beautiful bar is shaped like a flower and is packaged in a round silver tin. Glide a Hydrating Butter Bar over your skin and experience pure luxury.

This time of year, is an especially relevant time to try Sue Poff's amazing butter bars. The 2 oz. hydrating body butter bar is a luxurious, lightly scented bar that glides across your skin like liquid silk, melting and absorbing with your touch. Your skin stays hydrated four hours, as if you have just been to the spa

Tip: If you get a body butter bar for your Valentine, you will also enjoy the benefits.

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Yes We Can Make Allowances for Art

With all the budget cuts that are having to be made, as Democrats work to right America's finances, there are a few bright spots in the President's budget.

Two national programs will actually see increased government funding. The Smithsonian Institution—which received a record 30 million visitors last year at its various museums—will receive an additional $38 million above last year. It plans to allocate $10 million to fund new initiatives that deal with biodiversity, the American experience, world culture, and astronomy; $20 million will be funneled into the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is due to open in 2015. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting also saw an increase in funding of $20 million, and the Holocaust Museum was given an additional $2 million from last year.--Ruth Mitchell

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Are you Prepared for Valentine's Day?

Heart - Tracee Gentry

Looking for a romantic getaway this Valentine's? BestRomanticInns.com announces 2010 romantic Valentine's Day getaway specials from bed and breakfast inns. Visit www.BestRomanticInns.com to view romantic getaways worldwide: Bed and Breakfasts, Country Inns, Resorts, Small Hotels and Villas.

Or, be really creative and buy your sweetheart art, or something made with the soul passion of an artist. We have a choice suggestion.

Or if you really want to make an impression try Zero Gravity Valentine's Day Package From Pure Entertainment Group.

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Your Children are not Your Children

He was such a wonderful poet, we don't really thing about Kahlil Gabran as being an artist too. Coming across his "Your Children are not Your Children" twice in one week, I realized I needed to refresh my knowledge bank of this wonderful man.

Did you know he was a Lebanese immigrant that spent most of his life in New York? The picture shown on the left is entitled Self Portrait and Muse, 1911.

Gibran was born January 6, 1883 in Bsharri, Lebanon and died April 10, 1931 in New York City. He was an artist, poet, writer, philosopher and theologian. He was born in Lebanon when it was the Mount Lebanon Province of the Ottoman Empire. He is the third bestselling poet in history after William Shakespeare and Lao Tse.

I'd like to share with you the most stunning words I've ever read about children.--Ruth Mitchell

Your Children are not Your Children

They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.


Found in Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Please Help us Welcome Tracee

Wine is often a thematic choice for artist Tracee Gentry, who began painting full time nine years ago after the birth of her daughter. We sometimes don't realize the impact our children have on our lives until they are gone, but Tracee gets it. "Without her I would have not pursued my Passion in life as a full time artist. She gave me that strength the day she was born," says Tracee.

Tracee does a good deal of commission work, personalizing other themes such as Santas, cityscapes and the wine paintings including personalized labels incorporating special names, dates, and portraits of children onto the wine labels in the painting.

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Rising Star

"Winter Shelter" - Pat Matthews

I first met Pat years ago, through my husband, Mitch, when he was working as an architect at the same firm my husband worked. About seven years ago, Pat decided to strike out on his journey to pursue a career as a full time artist. It was a gutsy move, but aside from being really good at his craft, he hangs with others whom he can learn from and he is conscientious about addressing his productivity on a consistent, daily basis. He's also not afraid to market himself, and approaches each painting with the enthusiasm it deserves.

Pat lived in Santa Fe for a number of years, and his work is well-represented in galleries there and in Colorado. Now, we are so fortunate at buyoutsidethebox.com to have a selected representational collection of his work on the site.

Although Pat's work is becoming popular with serious collectors, he is a humble guy, and is always willing to share with others what he knows.

He recently gave me a demonstration of a new "finger painting" method he is using for some of his images. You can read more about that here...

We encourage you to take a look at our most recent collection of Pat's art.-- Ruth Mitchell

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Travelholic Confessions - There's an App for That!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know there is no gadget more precious to me than my iphone. I really need to find out about getting a commission every time I write about it. Wouldn't that be grand?

Anyway, I have combined two of my passions into one, travel writing and the iPhone as I am now contributing to Travelholic Confessions, the first mobile Travel Magazine dedicated to the iPhone and iPod Touch! At just $1.99 it is something I will use all the time.

I first heard about this helpful app through Raz Carcoana of Ow Wow Studios in the Denver area. We have connected and I am delighted to be contributing to this app that features travel advice, humor, beautiful photos, and helpful links. Throw away those costly analog paper travel magazine subscriptions with their canned articles kowtowing to their advertisers. Get the real scoop from real travelers every month. How many travel magazines do you know that have a flat fee forever? -- Ruth Mitchell

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Artist Andrew Pollack to be at New Orleans Jazz Festival

Glass artist Andrew Pollack is excited to be participating as an artist with the Jazz and Heritage Foundation at the 41st Annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. This event is held each year at the New Orleans Fairgrounds and attracts visitors from around the world. "I'll have a booth out there the first weekend - April 23, 24, 25. Jazz Fest is, by far, my favorite holiday in New Orleans. I hope to see you there." For more information on the event including crafts, food, and the music lineup for 2010, visit www.nojazzfest.co.

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Help for Haiti

"Care" by Ildikó Kalapács says it all

Are you wanting to do something about our neighbors in Haiti who have been struck with an earthquake calamity? Artisttrust has a link with a list of organizations who are working to restore the lives of many. Or even easier, give $10 via the Red Cross by texting 90999 on your cell phone. Read more about it on the Red Cross Blog.

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved

Join in the Debate at thisisdiversity.com

Well, it's not every day that something I write gets more hits than a naked girl on the same page! Just a little conversation about health care reform. Come join the debate! At the very least get informed and email your congressmen.--Ruth Mitchell

(c) 2009 - Ruth Mitchell - all rights reserved