Jazz Up Your Wheelchair with Izzy Wheels!

 

Ailbhe Keane is a graphic designer based in Dublin, Ireland.

Her sister Izzy, who has Spina Bifida, inspired her to create a way 

to dress up a wheelchair with art. So began Izzy Wheels!

These changeable wheel covers come in a wide variety 

of patterns to reflect personality and add pizzazz!

Their tag line is, "If you can't stand up, stand out!"

What a great way to provide self-expression while at the same time

breaking down the stigma of wheelchairs!

 Other artists have illustrated the wheel covers as well.

This lovely one was done by Jane Newland.

Izzy Wheels has already won several awards.

Watch this Insider video to see Izzy Wheels in action!

Even more info here:

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Let's Kiss the Blarney Stone!

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You may have heard, especially around St. Patrick's Day,
that kissing the Blarney Stone is a traditionally Irish thing to do.
According to legend, the one who kisses the Blarney Stone will receive
eloquent speech, skills of flattery, and the gift of gab!

First of all, I had always thought that the stone was a big rock in Ireland,
maybe isolated and roped off for tourists,
something like the picture of Yogi & Boo Boo, above.

Incorrect! The Blarney Stone is actually a building stone that's 
part of Blarney Castle, which is located 5 miles from Cork, Ireland. 
It's situated at the very top of the castle, accessed by a 127 step winding staircase.

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I was doubly surprised when I learned exactly how the actual kissing is accomplished!

The kisser must lie down on their back and lean out over a gap between the floor

 and the wall, which exposes a view of the 37' drop down to the ground below!

With the assistance of a spotter, they must arch their neck backwards for the smooch.

Guard rails make this act much safer than it was decades ago, 

but it must still be very unsettling for the faint of heart.

A few photos of the kissing in action-

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Here's a photo from 1897.

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Enjoy this YouTube video, and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This is Ireland by M. Sasek

Miroslav Sasek, (1916 - 1980), better known as M. Sasek, was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

After vacationing in France, he got the idea to write and illustrate travel books for children.

This is Paris was his first one, with 17 more to follow.

I visited the library and picked up This is Ireland,

wanting to see what these books were all about.

I found simple, watercolor illustrations of maps and landmarks,

drawn with children in mind, but ready to delight us grown-ups as well!

Enjoy the retro charm as you look with me

inside the pages of This is Ireland!

Miroslav Sasek first caught my attention when I featured a cover of one of his books 

on my post San Francisco Illustrated. (You can see that HERE!)

Here are a few more book covers from the This is series by M.Sasek~

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Visit the Miroslav Slasek website, This is M. Sasek.

A Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!

Celtic Art: Cast Paper by Kevin Dyer

With a nod to St. Patrick's Day, the Emerald Isle, and all things Irish,

I'd like to show off a shop called Cast Paper by Kevin Dyer!

Kevin artistic talent is combined with his interest in Celtic history to create 

these fabulous paper cast works of art, like the Donegal Stone Celtic Cross, above.

Here's an illustration of the paper casting process that Kevin uses to explain his work.

Seeing the steps taken helps us to appreciate the time involved,

as well as the 3D, detailed textures of each piece.

Celtic Cross

Brigid's Cross

Celtic Cross of Creation

Celtic Family Circle

Celtic Firefighter's Cross

Scottish Thistle

Blue Heron

Celtic Tree of Life

In addition to traditional Celtic art, Kevin's works include
Asian, Western, and fantasy themes.

Find Cast Paper here:

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Images used with direct permission from Kevin Dyer.