You can look at more of his paintings here at the ArtMagick Website

The way it interweaves and tile can be seen on the surrounding background edges of this blog or website. If you decide to use it on your blog or site, please upload the image to your site and include a link back to http://www.stepfordwife.com on your webpage if you decide to use it.

Feel free to use it on your PC or MAC background if you like it!

Keep the Cheer in Merry Christmas, and god bless!

Simply right click (Alt-click for Mac’s) on the pretty image below, and select “Set as Desktop Wallpaper” Remember to select “tile” option so all your Christmas lights wire will match up!

version 1 large wallpaper

version 2 large wallpaper

version 2 small wallpaper

Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report had on as his guest Beri Fox from West Virginia’s Marble King. Regardless of his ribbing of Republicans, the interview brought up the topic of the lack of tarifs on Chinese imports, and how the already deflated price – subsidized by the Chinese government- is a burden to American businesses. Please note that there is, indeed, another American marble manufacturer. It is based in Ohio and it is called JABO.

So we here at the organization always say, if you are truly in financial straits, it’s okay to go to the big superstores. But just remember to keep American-made products in business. You get what you pay for anyway. We have a digital table clock from Walmart that’s only two years old, and if you want to get the time of day, you’ll need to wait until the solar eclipse (it’s that dim) and have a pHD in Mayan hierogylphics (the digits don’t even make any sense).

Here’s a nifty list of other American products that are made in America.

Say Yes, to U.S.A.!

Made In America TV Program

Brooks Brothers 2010 bow blouse

We’ve had a few inquiries about the bow blouse and the bow that’s been such a favorite here at the organization. Not only does it hark back to the classic days of the housewife, it’s actually being revived this year by designers like Louis Vuitton for their Fall ’10 collection.

The bow of yesteryear had pointed ends, as opposed to the more modern squared tips. It’s virtually impossible to come across these, unless one goes to the “Vintage” section in Ebay, dig through Goodwill, or find an old pattern. Carolyn says it’s a snap to make your own, and she’s been gracious enough to show us how. Here it is:

Step 1. Measure
Take a clean silk or cloth ribbon (ones for gift-wrapping and crafts) and wrap it around your neck to tie a bow, making sure the ends are to your liking. Trim the ends (the shape of the ends doesn’t matter, we just want the length) and measure the length.

Step 2. Make a Construction Board (or Cardboard) Template
On a construction board-Poster board, trace a shape of bow you want as it would look, lain out on a flat surface. ADD 1/8 – 1/4 inch on the two short and one long side. The side on the fold – (i.e. the dotted A line – does not need a seam) This is for the seam allowance, depending on the material) Now, Draw that shape side-by-side on the cardboard and cut the cardboard.

Approximate pattern of the bow laid flat, side by side, since you want to fold the cloth together along dotted line A

Step 4. Fold the cloth
With the right (outside) sides together- over line A, making the mirrored shape come together into one single shape, wrong side facing out. A few steps later, you will be stitching the cloth together before pulling it inside out to hide the seams.

Step 5. Sew two pull strings, one at each “tip” of the bow.

Sew two pull strings, one at each tip of the bow, connecting both sides of the fabric. Then feed the pull string to stick out the center of the folded cloth. (You will be pulling the tips to invert to the proper side up after you sew the seams)

Step 6. Making sure the two drawstrings are accessible, and sandwiched freely inside the two sides of fabric, sew from point A to point F, leaving a opening in the middle of the long edge.

Very important: Make sure the opening is big enough to pull an amount of fabric for half the bow from inside out. You will be using the drawstrings to bring each half of the bow out through the opening.

Step 7. Use the drawstrings and gently pull out the tips of the bow, bringing the correct side of the cloth out through the opening.

Step 8. Once tips and completely pulled through and the bow is correct fabric side facing outwars, flatten the whole piece to correct shape. Cut the drawstring at the tips, and slipstitch the opening.

Voila! Stepford Bow!

We were thinking about how brilliant it would be to have a StepfordWives Board Game. So the girls here drafted up a sketch of the game board that is instructive, fun, and works as a memory aid to train players on how we should interact with our men of the house. Here it is. (Please click on the image to get a larger picture of the board). Essentially the rules of the game are as follows:

1. Set a devilish difficult recipe in the oven.
2. Start the game.
3. Every one gets a play piece and begin at the START square.
4. Each girl gets her turn spinning the spatula.
5. Wherever the spatula stops at is the number of steps you would advance.
6. By the time the dish is complete, whoever is the farthest ahead is the winner.
7. The winner needs to perform the corresponding action of whatever square her “piece” finishes on.
8. All the other players would have to perform the corresponding action of whatever square their piece finishes on, the following day.

We hear the Stepford men really like it when we play this game! And the best part is this: no one ever loses! Everyone goes home happy! ENJOY!