Focus the Nation

Today, January 31, 2008 is the culmination of Focus the Nation, a national teach-in on global warming solutions for America—creating a dialogue at over a thousand colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, places of worship, civic organizations and businesses, and directly engaging millions of students and citizens with the nation’s decision-makers.

One of our favorite actors, Edward Norton Jr. makes a video appeal to support solutions to stop Global Warming.

Get involved, visit these websites: http://www.focusthenation.org/about.php, http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/

Luxurious Hydrating Butter Bar Solution to Winter's Drying Climate

This time of year, most everyone is experiencing dry skin. That doesn't sound very luxurious, but the solution is. I've gotten to where I can't get through the season without Sue Poff's luxurious body butter bars. It leaves me feeling like I have just been to the spa. Here's why: the 2 oz. Hydrating Butter Bar is a luxurious, lightly scented bar that glides across your skin like liquid silk melting and absorbing with your touch. The patent pending, 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 product makes a lovely addition to any woman’s bath and beauty routine. Hint, leave the tin open to further enjoy the fragrance. The Hydrating Butter Bar fragrance will not evaporate

And around Valentine's Day, there is even more interest in Poff's Intimate Massage Bars, that are even more decadent. Share the luxurious experience of an intimate massage minus the mess of massage oil in our concentrated, easy to apply and beautifully crafted bar. The Intimate Massage Bar’s unique blend of mango and apricot butter, jojoba oil, and beeswax feels like liquid silk. Spice up your Valentine's Day with this wonderful, all natural product. Intimate Massage Bars are pure, all natural and safe for all intimate experiences. Enjoy.

Jane's Casserole

One day back in 1968, potter Allan Buitekant's wife asked him if he would make her a casserole for some dishes she wanted to make. "I was delighted to do so," says the artist. He then went into the studio, which in those days was a basement with a wheel, kiln and a table.

"While she stood behind me I produced the piece as is done in some industrial studios where the craftsman is guided. She and I worked it out together and she had her casserole which pleased her."

In 2006, Jane passed away. "I was involved in preparing for a gallery show at the time. The gallery owner saw this casserole, now with 36 years of constant use, and loved its honesty and directness and asked if I would produce these," says Buitekant.

"Without hesitation I said yes because I wanted to honor Jane in this manner. I produce "Jane's Casserole" in a 4 qt size as I did for her, unglazed outside glazed inside. One thing I do, [which is exclusive to this piece] is number and date them. When I threw the first one I was consumed with memory of her as I am every time I make her casserole." --Allan Buitekant

An Intimate Conversation with Artist Ildikó Kalapács

One of our exceptional artists Ildikó Kalapács has shared with us a video, of a recent conversation she had with Bruce Beal, one of her past art instructors. Take a look at this intimate coversation, and get to know Ildikó a little bit better. View her portfolio here.

Happy Birthday to You

"Celery Pearl Bracelet" -Svetlana Howells

At our house we make a big deal of birthdays. Actually we turn them into week long festivals if we can get anyone to cooperate, and sometimes even if they don't. The celebration of life, of course should happen everyday, but birthdays are an excuse for a little self indulgence.

That's why we have extreme empathy for those who are born in December or January. Those born in December have the whole holiday thing overshadowing their birthday, and those who have a birthday in January. Well, it's a month when everyone is pretty well broke from the holidays. Granted there are some good sales going on that giftors can buy for giftees, but pretty much, a lot of inventory is picked over.

This is where buyoutsidethebox.com can come in and save the day. We always have beautiful art and fine, handmade things for sale. We also have a wishlist option and so you can register for all the wonderful things that will nurture your sole.

A.A. Milne was born on this day. He's the author of "Winnie the Pooh." If you have no one else's birthday to celebrate, then think "Pooh."--Ruth Mitchell

Pottery Created with Conscience

"Fiber Study Teapot Caddy" - Gina Skillings

Welcome to Gina Skillings, a new artist on our site. Gina’s current body of work combines her passions for clay and textiles. Many of her clay forms are canvases onto which she adds textile studies, created by weaving and quilting together organic and man-made materials such as fabric, dried petals, seeds, shells and paper. Much of her clay work is glazed only on the inside, using oxide wash on the exterior to create an organic sensibility.

Gina’s passion for clay and fibers is matched by her love for animals and the environment. No animal leather is used in Gina’s work and recycled materials are often symbolically incorporated into her fiber studies. A portion of all sales is donated by Gina to animal charities. Take a look at her body of work available on buyoutsidethebox.com. --Ruth Mitchell

Only 102 More Days Until Earth Day

Visit Earth Day

If you want to be part of the biggest and most important Earth Day yet, join us to make 2008 the year the world unites behind the fight against climate change, water and sanitation poverty, and waste proliferation, to mention just a handful of the most important environmental challenges facing us today.

I just signed up, hope you'll join us Creative Consumers ™. Visit my pager here:-- Ruth Mitchell

Let's make it great in 2008!

2008 Comes in with a Bang - OR - It Can be Rather Dangerous to go out and Pee if you're the Wrong Color

I don't know, my life seems to be filled with some pretty crazy drama and chaos, and yesterday morning was one of those moments. If I only had a video clip of what happened they'd be booking me on The Morning Show for the unprecedented number of hits that video would have received on YouTube.

It starts like this. After a glorious, week of Sundays filled with family, food and fun, I came down with a horrible cold. I don't get them very often and when I do, it's like watching the Statue of Liberty melt. I go from this really strong, outspoken, brazen person to a whimpering mollusk.

So, the dogs, who are accustomed to a pretty good walk everyday have been deprived. Lucky Man, the one who was shot last March (see story) and who is finally, after nine months, almost using his damaged leg on a regular basis, had tummies. This is a condition that is so loud it will wake you up at night. His belly growls and he becomes obsessed with eating Hackberry leaves. (Yes, I know pretty weird, but he's very specific about his herbal cures.) In winter, with the absence of these magical leaves, he resorts to eating grass.

Lucky Man pleaded with those big brown eyes of his and I caved. "Okay, big bubbie, you can go out the door and eat a little grass, but you must stay in your yard and come back within five minutes to receive your treat." It was, after all, 7:30 a.m. and I didn't think the gun-toting monster that shot my dog before would be up yet, thinking he would still be nursing his hangover. Otherwise I would never have let LM out on his own.

Not 30 seconds after letting Lucky Man out the door, I hear a loud round of gunfire. Let's just say for this mixed audience that I came unglued, certain that the same monster who shot my dog originally was now gunning him down with vehemence.

The gunfire continues. I race into the yard in my bathrobe, and find the dog peacefully eating grass in the yard. I call him. The gunfire continues. I get LM by the collar, insuring he won't bolt and the gunfire continues. It is just one house beyond our next door neighbor's. Very loud and very close. It's 7:30 a.m. remember.

With this I see my half dressed husband fly out the door, racing up the hill. The gunfire continues, rapidly, obsessively. At this point I'm pretty certain that the yahoos at the half constructed house, just one house over, got a new gun for Christmas. But the gunfire is too frenetic for this scenario. It continues. It might even be coming from multiple guns or automatic weapons. "PUT THAT DAMN GUN AWAY!" I hear my husband yell during an uncertain pause in the gunfire. With the acoustics of the lake on one side and the mountain behind us, I'm certain they hear him in the next county.

I live in an upscale neighborhood and it's 7:30 in the morning mind you.

The gunfire stops. I race the dog into the house, and Mitch follows closely behind. "Call the Sheriff," he says. I do it without compunction. The Sheriff never shows, but the contractor gets a call. An apology is issued, "it will never happen again, (yeah right); "they did it before, and I didn't think to tell them not to? (great justification form, it was done before, so that made it okay); and the kicker, "sorry we woke you."

"Sorry you woke us? This is our home, this is where our kids roam the woods, this is where our dog, who eats with us and sleeps with us was shot."

Well, this is not Mitch's first foray into defending hearth and home. When Meth Lab garbage was dumped on our land, we bagged it up and he pulled up into the driveway to return it to the dumpee. How did we know this? They threw away a charge receipt with their name and address on it. Pretty bright huh?

Even brighter were we to return it. I slunk down into the passenger seat saying my mental goodbyes to by husband of 25 years while praying that bullets wouldn't make their way through the side of the car.

Another time, in defense of hearth and home, Mitch rather loudly chased after a large gang of drunken 4 wheeler people, who were trying rather unsuccessfully to climb up the side of the mountain next to our house. I could see the shotguns strapped to their 4-wheelers, and it wasn't hunting season. Hmmm?

So, while we thought life at the end of the road would be quiet and peaceful, it hasn't proven so. Am I for gun control. ABSOLUTELY!

So what does this have to do with collecting art? Well, like the T-shirt says, "Life is Good." Art is peaceful, art is bold. Art is self expression without violence. Buy art now. We have some amazing work on the site, and some of it is incredibly well priced.

This peaceful seaside scene is by George Wittenberg.