I want to taste and glory 
in each day,
and never be afraid
 to experience pain.

Sylvia Plath

Photography by Denise Blasor

              CURVVY SHAYPES

"Dog Hows" by Paula del Toro at Etsy.com

PUERTO RICAN ARTIST Paula del Toro's funky designs
are now emblazoned on the white T-shirts she sells on Etsy,
the popular internet site for handmade and vintage products.

Del Toro's virtual shop offers six bold graphic designs that
she says are part of a collection titled "Daily feels."
Printed on regular white T-shirts, the designs feature
people and animals rendered in del Toro's quirky style.
The result is a cool and eye catching top that reflects
the artist's wry sense of humor and colorful imagination.

"Slimmy," T-shirt by Paula del Toro

The T-shirts are available for $20 plus shipping. One caveat:
unless you know the name of Del Toro's virtual store
it will be difficult to locate it as Etsy's search engine does
not recognize her name. So here's the word to remember:
cvvyshypz. When asked what's behind the letters, del Toro
quickly dispelled the mystery. She said that in trying to find
the right name for her virtual shop she turned to an abstract line
of images she produces under the tag "curvvy shaypes."

It's all in the spelling!


cvvyshypz at Etsy.com

Photography by Denise Blasor

Life is a peephole,
a single tiny entry onto a vastness.

Yann Martel,

"Life of Pi"

☞ A SIMPLE TIP

  This simple tip comes courtesy of Matilsha Marxuach who runs the lovely "Concalma" 
   store in Old San Juan, purveyor of cotton totes, T-shirts and jewelry handmade by
   artists.

   In the absence of wrapping paper, a humble brown pape bag can be of service. All you 
   need is a hole puncher,  a short colored ribbon, and a small piece of brown paper folded
   in half that will serve as the card. Place the gift in the bag, fold the top, overlay the paper
   card, punch two holes on the top left side of the bag, thread the ribbon into a pretty bow.

   Dedicate the card and VOILA!

Photography by Adam Silcott

THE ONLY RECOGNIZABLE
FEATURE OF HOPE IS ACTION.

GRACE PALEY

THE RIGHT TUNA

A new brand of tuna
has turned up on the
shelves of the chain
Supermax and it is
so tasty that it merits
a mention.

This tuna sells under
the brand name of Ubago
and if one is to take the label at face value, it is wild caught
somewhere around Cape Verte, off the northwest coast of
Africa. The tuna, which comes packed in olive oil in a 4.2 oz
can, retails for $3.35.

A second product that has come to our attention is a
whole wheat past sold under the brand name pastaZara.
The manufacturer, located in the Veneto region in northern
Italy, has been producing pasta products since 1898.
This whole wheat pasta is tasty and at under $1.50
it is an excellent buy.

Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think
it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is growing
up.   -- James Baldwin




© 2016 Lorraine Blasor, all rights reserved★