My mom died on this day January 2, 2008, of colon cancer. In her last months, we gave her this piece made by Sam Mirelez, a San Antonio outsider artist focused on birdhouse masterpieces. We thought she'd enjoy having it in the yard to watch the birdies. Instead, she filled it with little animals and tchotchkes. After she died, I kept it exactly the way she left it. It sat on the mantle -- until we made the mantle a highway for the kittens. Today, I added a special piece in front of it: a charming roadrunner (my spirit animal), a gift from @alohaphd which seems to fit so purrfectly right. I'm pretty sure Mom would have added it herself. 😉 Today, let's celebrate the best times and best parts of lives well love -- and well lived. Peace and kindness to all as we enter another voyage around the sun. ☯️🌞💟 #almashon #almashondesigns https://www.instagram.com/p/CYPW9erp2UM/?utm_medium=tumblr

100 years ago today: Alma Shon was born. Occasionally you discover things about your mom after she's gone. Like this exhibit, described below. @peggy_re has been researching mom's life as a designer and discovered it. Seems like the perfect way to celebrate her centennial. 💯 💖 #mom ... Mom! Newly discovered brochure and exhibit: Alma Shon created this for the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts in 1950 (before I was born). Most of her working life, mom designed the exclusive gift packaging for Neiman Marcus. I am thrilled: I did not know about this exhibit until this year. From the brochure: DESIGN — TO LIVE WITH “This Mid-Century finds designers of objects used in everyday living combining both old and new techniques and materials, with a knowledge of the way people live today... The America of 1950 has the choice of functional products at a reasonable cost...and in giving us this, have given us TIME TO LIVE.” (BTW : These images will be part of an exhibition featuring my mom, Alma Shon, later this year. Thanks to @peggy_re for finding them for creating the upcoming exhibit. #almashon #almashondesigns #midcenturymodern #midcenturymoderndesign #starkravingcat #kateheyhoe ☯️ Alma Shon 7/11/1921-1/2/2008 💟 https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMCniCpuwi/?utm_medium=tumblr

A very sweet memory of mom. I might have cried a little,,, thank you @reflectionofaman - Repost: ・・・ Christmas time makes me think of Neiman Marcus’s distinct gift wrapping. Pictured here is Alma Shon, in the late 1950s, who made the iconic whimsical gift wrapping designs for @neimanmarcus . Shon’s daughter @starkravingcat wrote about her mother for Food and Wine, "Stanley Marcus believed the gift should be presented in the most glamorous and beautiful way it could be," said Alma in her characteristic humble manner. It was at her suggestion that famous artists design exclusive packaging for NM, including Saul Steinberg, Ben Shawn and Ludwig Bemelmans (creator of the Madeline storybooks). She was also a friend to and influenced by Sister Corita Kent, whose uplifting fine art is quintessentially representative of an era. “ #almashon #giftwrapping https://www.instagram.com/p/B56LnaUFmLn/?igshid=1c7tihx3r2uyp

This birdhouse looks exactly the same as when my mother left it. (Except a little dustier.) She died Jan. 2, 2008, and gave us great whimsy to her remember her by. We brought her this outsider-art tin birdhouse the summer before she died, thinking we could hang it outside and she could watch the birdies. But no: she immediately started filling the cubby holes with little animals, topped off by a Guatemalan-made witch on broomstick, with an Indian dream-catcher hanging from the steeple. It sat like this on her coffee table til the end, with occasional changes made to the animals and figures. It’s been sitting on our mantle ever since. And makes me happy to see it, unchanged, just the way she left it. Celebrating Alma Shon today and every day. Luv luv luv 💖🐶🐯🐹🐻🦁🐔🐦🐧🐝🦖🐠🦑🦟🦍🐫🦓🦏🦘🐇🐿🐀 . 🕊💗☯️💗🕊 #almashon #restinpeacemom https://www.instagram.com/p/BsJr-Xbhd3M/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1fdrq2xzuan16

Mom hired Robert Indiana to design a Noel series for Neiman Marcus (1968). Besides the NM catalog cover, he designed these posters - of which I have 2 (lucky me!). He died last week at age 89, and his LOVE and HOPE still resonate. . #robertindiana #robertindianalove #robertindianahope #riprobertindiana #almashon