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• The ‘September Issue’ has dropped.

• Fall goods are in the stores.

• DDR has already sold through several styles…

• but I haven’t de-coded fall’s color palette for you yet!

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So here it is…

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Building off of Julia Chaplin’s inspirational book, Gypset Style, (see earlier post) I wanted the fall palette to be an innovative take on fundamental basics, but also wanted the colors to transport us and ‘gypset’ us around the world.

I wanted the colors to conjure images of travel and adventure – rather real or imagined.

Colors with names like: Shangrila Green, Manchurian Orange, and Chinese Lantern evoke strong images from the East, while colors named Arabian Red, Kashmir, and Turkish Tobacco conjure up hues from the Middle East.   Heaven, Champagne and Basic Black are also adventurous and anything but “basic”.

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As always, one can never do justice to color by talking or writing about it – after all, color is COLOR!

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So take a look.

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My dad use to give us girls “sussies” – little un-occasioned gifts.

So here is a little sussie for you – your own personal color palette.

Simply print, trim, and tuck inside your handbag so when you are out shopping you can reference the perfect shade of “Shangrila”.

Enjoy!

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So today I just want to focus on the covers from the 1970′s.

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They are “so” my generation.

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Looks like the ad execs over at Mead Corp. thought they would give the ol’ Injun a rest and introduce a more cool and hip tablet that would appeal to us 70′s kids – something along the line of Peter Max’s pop art with black light poster appeal.

I really like what they did with the first version…

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Version 1: Cool, renegade biker look complete with shades, stache and peace sign – very Peter Fonda in Easy Rider.

But then Mead must of gotten some heat so they dumb-ied down the “son” and went to…

Version 2: Not nearly as cool and renegade – the “son” looses his shades and his peace sign medallion. (please tell me what could possibly have been a problem with peace?  Too political?)

But obviously things still weren’t dumb-ied enough so they stripped the poor “son” down to…

Version 3: No facial hair, no political agenda, and no fun.

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1970's Son of Big Chief Writing Tablets

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Well, I say

to heck with dumb-ing down – LET”S GO FOR IT!

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All of the Big Chief Tablets and Son of Big Chief Tablet images are from the collection of Jason Liebig.

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He is always reinventing old school, yet keeping it new and desirable.

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Take a look at what he has done for kids with his

“fantastically amazing” back-to-school, storybook.

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Big Chief Writing Tablet?

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I do.

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My favorite cover

Truth is, I coveted Lucy’s 64-pack of Crayolas and that wonderful little built-in sharpener on the box, but we were all equal when it came to the Big Chief.

I loved Big Chief tablets.

Well…truth is, I loved them except when I had to make a correction and my eraser eroded the paper and it got all nappy.

I think I was learning to form my letters and must have been pressing too hard or something.

Or maybe it was just jangled nerves from that ruler-wielding nun, Sister Mary Theresa.

Or that tuna smell permeating from my Barbie lunchbox.

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Any way, forty-five years later, I am still loving Big Chief tablets, but this time for the graphics instead of the precision lined paper.

The iconic school supply has changed a lot over the years and its history is a bit vague and sketchy.  Prices have ranged from 10¢ in the 1950′s to a couple of bucks in the 1970′s.  Ownership and production has changed as well with early manufacturing by Western Tablet Co., then Mead Corp., and finally Springfield / Everett Pad & Paper.  The graphics have ranged from very traditional illustration in the 1930′s to groovy pop art in the 1970′s.  Sadly though, Big Chief Writing Tablets are no longer being produced.

Don’t know why.

I hope it didn’t come under the same scrutiny as the “Indian Red” crayon that got re-named “Chestnut” because of “cultural sensitivity”. 

(fyi: I didn’t have an Indian Red crayon in my 8-pack, but Lucy did… uhmmm!)

Today, you can view Jason Liebig’s collection of vintage Big Chief tablets on Flicker.  He has done a nice job and I have “borrowed” from his assemblage for my Big Chief time-line below.

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By the way, which Big Chief cover do you remember having?

I’d love to hear!

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Oh, and how about these two cute little critters?  They started 2nd and 5th grade this year and sadly there is not a Big Chief Tablet in the lot!

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Harris - 1st day of 2nd Grade

Presley - 1st day of 5th Grade

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Not going to happen.

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I’ll have to settle for an “armchair traveler” virtual tour instead.

Here are some images from last year’s SWAIA Indian Clothing Contest and straight up I’ll tell ya,

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these women put me to SHAME!

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Click here more information on SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market

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Double D Ranch is very excited and pleased to see her wearing Double D Ranch™

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Reba McEntire wearing Double D Ranch

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Yep, not a single one.

I surprised even myself because y’all know I have been dreading this day for about 19 years, but Jack eased my pain.

He must have sensed a possible melt down on my horizon so when it came time for the final “good-bye”,  he gave me this:

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And I giggled all the way home!

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Jack & Dorm Room #330

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And he is right, I sure am going to miss him.

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Just goes to show that you don’t have to be in the Big Apple to do big things.

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If you have never eaten at the cafe, the food is OMG and the experience is like nothing else in the dining world.  We love them/it so much so that we had them cater pies for Dad’s Memorial – seriously, they are that good!

So may I suggest you ‘git’ on over there and quit depriving yourself…

or at the very least have them ship you one of their famous pies!

Bud the Pie Man and Presley Outside Royer's Cafe

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Here are the cafe’s details and watch for an update about when and where to cast your vote.

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Royer’s Round Top Cafe

1 (979) 249-3611
105 Main Street
Round Top, TX 78954

]]> http://www.ddranchwear.com/blog/2010/08/friends-royers-the-peoples-platelist/feed/ 2 http://www.ddranchwear.com/blog/2010/08/protecting-the-right-to-wear-great-fashion/ http://www.ddranchwear.com/blog/2010/08/protecting-the-right-to-wear-great-fashion/#comments Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:26:16 +0000 Cheryl http://www.ddranchwear.com/blog/?p=4655

This is Smith & Western’s new ad for Cowboys & Indians Magazine.

So cute, I couldn’t help but share.

Smith & Western

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My personal favorite is this fabulous, pink jumpsuit custom made for Elvis by the legendary Hollywood tailor, Nudie Cohn.

This is just so quintessentially Elvis and so perfectly Nudie!

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If you are a collector of Elvis or Nudie or if you just want to see some fun American pop culture, you can view the catalog here.

lot 46050 description: Elvis Presley’s Show Jumpsuit by Nudie Cohn. This pink jumpsuit with hand-sewn jewels and rhinestones was custom-made for Elvis by legendary tailor Nudie Cohn. The jumpsuit is in Excellent condition, and has Elvis’ name inside as well as Nudie’s trademark clothing label. A rare and fantastic piece of Presleyana. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Nudie Cohn.

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