tree in the city

I GREW UP in a small town near Gadsden, Alabama (where I was born) called Hokes Bluff. I spent my formative years there — childhood, kindergarten, elementary school, junior high, and high school. It was a small close-knit community and I still have many lifetime friends that have known me since I knew me. To get an idea how small, there were only 104 people in my high school graduating class. 

I WOULDN'T  TRADE my small town upbringing for anything. I learned a sense of belonging and comfort that fewer and fewer people experience. Since my zodiac sign is Taurus, this sense of stability was even more important to me because we Taureans like such predictability. The "tin soldier" in this photo, standing guard under the tree reminds me of a song we played in high school band called One Tin Soldier. The chorus goes like this:

Go ahead and hate your neighbor, 
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing,
Come the judgment day,
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away.

One Tin Soldier is a 1960s counterculture era anti-war song that tells the story of a hidden treasure and two neighboring tribes; the peaceful Mountain Kingdom and the warlike Valley Kingdom. Coveting the treasure of the mountains, the Valley People ultimately invade and slaughter the Mountain People. The treasure turns out to be simply three words —"Peace On Earth" — inscribed on the underside of a rock.

I've probably never really digested those lyrics until now. And after all this time, life has such a weird way of leading you to things that help you figure out why you've taken certain paths, when others are satisfied with the status quo. It helps when you're looking from the outside in.

CITY LIFE: The Atlanta skyline beckoned me from safe environs in Birmingham, Alabama way back in 1994 (just before the Centennial Olympic Games were held here).

I HAVEN'T MOVED FAR in my life from where I began, physically, at least. First, after high school, I got a visual design degree at Auburn University in Alabama. My love of magazines led me to my first job out of college in Birmingham, Alabama at Southern Living magazine and then Cooking Light magazine (which was born from a column in Southern Living). I worked at that company for 10 years before I made the "jump" to Atlanta in late 1994  — just before the Centennial Olympic Games here in 1996 — I've never really looked back. A large part of it was being queer and trying to find an accepting family far away from the family of relatives and friends who didn't quite get who I became, not by choice, but by innate preference.

MY PARENTS WERE both blue collar workers. My mother worked at the high school lunchroom and my father had a job operating a crane at the local steel plant, which is now shuttered. It's no wonder the people who stayed behind in small towns feel marginalized now. There are fewer jobs and what was once a bustling town has fallen into decay. They rely on what is left of what was and the future looks bleaker by the day.

IT REMAINS A mystery to me how we got here. How could our new Twitter Troll In Chief be forming, against his claims of helping the forgotten middle class in small towns, a billionaire's club of contemptuous and out of touch cronies?

PRECIOUS METAL: WWII ornaments were made with bits of silver tinsel pushed inside unsilvered glass globes to save metal for the war efforts.

THE COUNTRY my father fought for in WWII is in trouble in facing the same dangers he fought against in Nazi Germany. It is truly frightening.

My father was a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne that occupied Hitler's Headquarters (The Eagle's Nest) and was renowned for its role in the Battle of the Bulge around the city of Bastogne, Belgium that was finally rescued by General Patton. This battle effectively ended the war.

When I see members of the new Alt Right (Neo Nazis) emboldened to raise their hands in a Hitler salute for Trump, it lets me know that tyranny like this can happen here. It scares me also because as a gay man that just recently was afforded the right to marry, we have an extremely anti-gay Vice President calling the shots with an inept clown at the helm. 

I find it very hard to accept that the scourge my father fought to eliminate in WWII is in a very real way, upon us again. It is my only hope that we all realize the treasure that we all are looking for is simply "Peace on Earth" and we finally, once-and-for-all get the message that love trumps hate.

©2016 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland,

German-style goose feather tree designed by me and made by 

Dennis Bauer is available for sale at Home Traditions

family tree

A TREE HAS taken root. A family has formed. And this is already our second Christmas together. Life has been busy. And our view is constantly in motion. But, despite the turmoils of the world, we have the comfort of each other. A Christmas tree is a bright reminder of that.

MONOGRAMED CHIC | These gold-initialed ornaments form the script for a new family. J is for Juan; A is for Abella, the Bengal cat; D is for Darryl (me); T is for Tallulah (the newest addition, a rescue dog); and F is for Frida, the Ragdoll cat (who makes a blurred appearance in the top photo).

THIS TREE, in a small way, is symbolic of our new family, hung with initialed ornaments representing each of us. The wire and cardboard diamond-shaped ornaments represent a strong structure for a great future together. The tree is a Silver Tip tree, which is naturally sparse with ample space between the branches and a quirky natural shape reminiscent of the untrimmed trees you see in vintage photos. Many of the lights on the tree have crinkled metal light covers in gold and silver in various sizes to give the tree a magical glow.

ALL IN THE DETAILS | This unusual shooting star tree topper is actually a store fixture from Starbucks from last season that I convinced a manager to save for me. It worked perfectly atop this tree.

LOOKING CLOSER, this tree is topped with a multi-faceted and glittered shooting star. The tree employs a fairly neutral color scheme of glass ornaments in gold, silver, bronze, whites and greens with classic bright blue and red punctuating the mix as a nod to the traditional trees of my childhood.

FRAMEWORK GEMS | These interesting gem ornaments are made of wire and metallic cardboard. I added a tiny glass bauble to each wire-framed ornament to make them more elegant.

THE FRAMEWORK for a family starts with a bedrock of comfort, joy and love. When things are right, whatever life throws your way is tempered by knowing that you have someone there that has your back. When you feel that, you know it's the real thing.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH | These metallic cardboard ornaments are light enough not to weigh down the branches of the tree. Even though they are made from humble foil-covered cardboard, they are quite sophisticated in appearance due the diamond shape.

WARM HEARTS are warmed even further by a beautiful tree that is thoughtfully decorated. I chose to make this one thematic in color and form, but even if your tree is a hodgepodge of family heirloom ornaments of every style and stripe, what really matters is that it conveys that magical spirit of the holidays. The symbolic memories attached to decorations give them a heirloom resonance throughout the years that is unique and meaningful to your family.

Please check out the video of the tree below (hopefully, I'll figure out how to make the resolution better and replace this one):

©2015 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

peace and light

IT’S HARD to get into the holiday spirit in these uncertain times. Last night, Juan and I attended Atlanta’s lighting of Macy’s Great Tree to try to nudge ourselves into the season. I’m not sure it worked so well. Soon after we got there we saw a brutish police officer hold a guy by his coat in front of him and manhandle him through, and out of the crowd. Everyone looked stunned and I heard nothing said about it. So strange. I wonder what the guy did, who he was and whether he was a victim of racial profiling. 

THIS HAPPENED before the festivities started. And this was on a night when all the local news reports were highlighting the warning from the hacker group called Anonymous that there could be a terrorist attack at a big wrestling event downtown. There was also a football game downtown with tightened security. The Christmas tree lighting event we attended was on the other side of the city and also attracted a large crowd.

P is for P E A C E in this beaded letter.

ONE HAS TO wonder whether all this fear and hysteria (nothing happened at any of the events) is warranted. It is certainly no wonder that everyone is on edge worldwide after the worst terror attack in French history, the Russian airliner that was exploded with a terrorist’s bomb, a double-suicide bombing in Lebanon, and a series of other deadly strikes that are happening one after the other on a weekly basis.

An evergreen wreath has long been a symbol of renewal and everlasting life.

THIS PAST Thursday (November 19th), Pope Francis said “Christmas festivities will seem empty in a world which has chosen ‘war and hate.’” In his sermon, he said “Christmas is approaching: there will be lights, parties, Christmas trees and nativity scenes . . . it’s all a charade. The world continues to go to war. The world has not chosen a peaceful path.” This sermon signaled the start of the holiday season at the Vatican, where a giant Christmas tree was unveiled. 

I’VE ONLY BEEN to the City of Light (Paris) one time in my life. It was a much different world back in 1979, when I visited. I was much younger, more optimistic and full of excitement for the life ahead of me. Not that life has been bad at all—it hasn’t. It just that the human race hasn’t evolved as much as I would have hoped and our effect on our own environment has exponentially grown in such a way that our future is at peril, even without war and hate.

Shiny baubles always brighten the winter holidays.

THE TABLEAU I’ve set for this post is symbolic of the peace, hope and love that I’ve always thought the holiday season brings to all of us, no matter how we celebrate the season. The Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris (the City of Light) and a symbol for all the world, is laid with an evergreen wreath to mourn the innocent lives lost to terrorism. The lights at the base represent a gathering of lights from around the world. The banner with the letters forming the word PEACE is prominent in the background. And the presence of glittery baubles in the scene all point to a pause for HOPE that our country and humankind will do right by each other. But none of this will ever truly happen without the LOVE we share through something beyond any of our tiny marks on the world.

GOD is LOVE, no matter what religion is represented. Terrorism is not a religion—it is hate. This holiday season, more than ever, is a time for us to renew our spirits and to find our way forward. This holiday is celebrated worldwide, so now, maybe for once, we can find the grace and humility in understanding that we’re all in this together. Nothing can squander our better selves when we remind ourselves of that.

War of the Gods:

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/8578368

©2015 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

east meets Easter

ALTHOUGH THE EASTER holiday is celebrated mainly in the West as a Christian holiday, its message of love is universal. The overarching message of the religious version of the holiday might be summed up with two words: forgiveness and rebirth. 

THE RABBIT is the secular symbol of Easter as a symbol of fertility, as well as eggs. Both symbols date back to pre-13th century Pagan traditions.

CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS aren't celebrated in the East (unless you're a Christian or simply like the secular aspects of the holiday), but this Japanese magnolia Bonsai tree hung with blue and white china eggs has a decidedly "East meets Easter" feel. Underneath lies a large golden egg for luck and prosperity.

CULTURES ARE FUSING all over the world with the connectedness of modern technology. Indicative of the recognition of the universal truths of love, no matter what their belief system may be, many religions and beliefs have developed a more global world-view. And as we enter into some really significant astrological times with Pluto, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus forming a Cardinal Grand Cross, the apex of which happens on April 23 of this year, there is sure to be a breaking (or turning) point in the way the collective consciousness of the world behaves.

FORGIVENESS is the step we all must take to make room for new love. Although sometimes extremely hard to do sometimes, we must forgive (and sometimes forget) the people who have squandered our love and find a place (or a person) with which it will thrive and prosper. I've been very lucky to have found just such a person and am excited about the quickly unfolding prospects ahead of us!

LOVE is the grandest of all our emotions. It is entirely based on our faith (in any aspect) and being in tune with ourselves and others around us. It can come in the most unexpected of places. And for it to be received fully and without trepidation, our intent has to be pure when asking the universe what to do with it. Being ready to receive this kind of love no less than a spiritual rebirth. And I, for one, am ready!

REBIRTH is a serious matter, even in spiritually metaphorical terms,  as it is a visceral recognition of renewed life. So put on a pair of fuzzy pink bunny ears to bring levity to such a weighty transition. This Easter and the spring days ahead are full  of the promise of an untold life of joy and purpose. The message is there, any way you look at it—religious or secular, north or south, east or west. It's up to you what to do with it. The message, pure and simple, is all about love.

©2014 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland.

hearts and arrows

CUPID CAN BE quite a trickster. One need look no further than his choice of weapon to know that something is amiss. Arrows? Aimed at the heart? Sounds like a dangerous proposition. 

LOVE IS most certainly the finely-drawn target that we are all after, but unless the correct balance of grace, light, and levity are found in just the right proportions, it's easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we've found the love worthy of our noblest aims.

IF WE DARE open our hearts again after having them shattered, we had better be sure this time around that our little buddy cupid hasn't been off flying in the clouds for far too long. Being a romantic fool, I'm often right there with him, flitting around looking for suspects without planting my feet firmly on the ground.

LOVE IS quite a heady affair, but only becomes substantive once our arrows are sharpened and our aim is sure. It's not an easy sport at all. And it's certainly not for the faint of heart.

BUT WE KEEP getting up, brushing ourselves off and finding a way, lessons learned, to move in that direction again. A sure-fire direction of love. Because nothing else compares, and nothing else will do. After all—true love, if you've ever had it . . . well, you know the drill. And our hearts know the way.

©2014 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland.

simple thanks

A SIMPLE THANKS will do, they say. Saying thank you to the giver for the gifts you receive is always in order. But what if that just doesn't seem like enough? How do you thank the air that we breathe, the blood that runs through our veins, or the abundance of things that sustain our very lives? Such is love. It is painfully obvious that there is a great disparity between the haves and have nots of the world—both in love and life. Yet it always seems that those who have less have the distinct ability to say "thank you" in a way that transcends the obligation to do so. True gratitude is made of love.

A TRUE SENSE of love is necessary to understand what "thank you" actually means. Love seems to be the most elusive, the most misunderstood and the most misused emotion. It's rare that love ever needs words to express itself. It just is. It's the indiscernible truth at the heart of everything that makes life worth living. It is the basis of what drives us forward, what gives us hope and what feeds our soul. Yet, its meaning has been skewed. It has been made into a commodity. But love exists simply to give thanks and really mean it.

THE TREE ABOVE was given to me by my dear friend Peggy Dana as a gift a short while back. And I have had the tiny fruit ornaments that decorate it for as long as I can remember (probably at least 20 years). It is only now that I found a place for them. The variety of grapes, pears, apples and oranges that embellish this simple gift, essentially transform it into a sort of "tree of life," symbolic of the fruits of our labors in life and love. I thought this would be perfect to illustrate the idea behind Thanksgiving this year. Giving thanks is the simplest act of love, but yet the most profound. Embellishing this tree is an act of thanks (love) for selfless friends such as Peggy. She's one of those people in my life that truly understands who I am and of what I am made. And I thank her for just being her loving self. It's as simple as that.

WE ALL HAVE them in our lives. Those people and things for which to be thankful. Every act of love is just that—an intention to give thanks—and we must make a conscious effort to do so. My own mother gave me the ultimate thank you not long before she died. She and I were alone in her hospital room and suddenly we were talking about love. She told me "I loved too much." And then she said to me "that I would never know how much she loved me." I said to her "mother, I do know—you taught me how to love." She floored me by throwing it right back at me, saying "Darryl, you taught me how to love." So, I live with that moment every day of my life, and it gives me hope that I can teach someone else. That's what love (and Thanksgiving) is all about. My mother taught me how to give thanks.

THANKSGIVING has never been the same without her. The feast that she prepared for our family was always the same though. There was the requisite turkey with giblet gravy; her famous sage and cornbread dressing; her cranberry, citrus and pecan congealed salad; homegrown creamed corn (that had been frozen the summer before); green beans; potato salad; yeast rolls; pecan pie; pumpkin pie; German chocolate cake; and a fresh coconut cake. I'm probably leaving a few things out, but you get the idea. I am thankful for the abundance of love that she gave our family. To have her tell me that what she taught me about love is what I taught her in return, is the essence of giving thanks—it's not about getting and giving. It's just the alchemy of love behind the stuff of life which pays it forward.

©2013 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

under the stars

IF FOR NO OTHER REASON than to wish for a true soul partner—gazing upward at a starry sky from an unencumbered beach unspoiled by the lights of civilization—can bring one’s destiny into focus. An entirely romantic notion? Possibly. But it is worthwhile to succumb to the humbling presence of limitless sky. In a fleeting moment, you can feel as though you’ve tapped into the divine plan for the universe. 

SEASHELLS AND CANDLELIGHT | An assemblage of shells and other objects, a few of which were found on the beach at Tulum; encroach the container of this driftwood tree. The candle (its cucumber lime scent being named Tulum) was one of a few thoughtful birthday gifts this year from Devin Borden, my fellow traveler (and partner of two years) to that magical place in Mexico last November. The small "tree" attached to a piece of coral was found during a walk down the beach at sunrise on the last morning of our trip. Aside from the many unforgettable memories, this is the most cherished souvenir I returned home with—a piece of nature serving as a sort of divining rod to uncover the inspiration and resonance for this post's writing months after this life-changing trip.

HAVING THIS EXPERIENCE with someone you wish to be a living and growing part of your life will ignite a fire at your core that can never be extinguished by absence. If anything, if you truly love someone, “absence does make the heart grow fonder.” Plato theorized that each person is half of an androgynous being split by the gods, creating male and female. Within us, at a deeply subconscious level, we know something is amiss; and we seek wholeness again.

THE DIVIDE might not always be a distinct separation between male and female. There are components of both in all of us. Like puzzle pieces without an image imprinted on them, it is difficult to recognize how the fit comes together. But with enough turns, and enough inward and outward examination, the shapes can finally be matched and locked together.

DRIFTWOOD AND STARS | The garland loosely wrapped around this driftwood tree is made from plastic-coated electrical wire in yellow and green, strung with metal stars implying the "electric circuitry" of the night sky. These stars have been oxidized to create a rich verdigris patina—representing the alchemy and magic seen in the night sky layered with millions of stars.

THE LIGHT REFLECTED from the stars speaks to us. When laid bare before our eyes we are reminded that we are tiny pieces of an unimaginably infinite universe. We can be manipulated by change as easily as the slightest breeze wafts yesterday’s dust into a corner. But we can will ourselves to make our lives happen right before us. We always have a choice to seek, to learn, and to find our own paths.

SUPERNATURAL TOPPER | I've cherished this unusual winged mermaid for many years. Holding the treetop star, she finds a symbolic home atop this tree. With her fish tail and wings, she embodies the link between the earth and the sky, creating a perfect visual metaphor for the larger-than-the-both-of-us connection we felt that night under the stars.

THIS IS THE STUFF of life. Our journey, our meanderings under an infinite immovable sky, are revealed to us in an awesome glory, guiding us in ways beyond our will, beyond our reality, and beyond our imagination. Finding this resonance with a soul partner is the ultimate intent of my dreams. I want us to grow together into a creation unimagined by our limited view of events and ideas for which we absurdly place a label of truth.

STAR PATINA | Some of the metal stars developed interesting color patterns during the oxidation process, forming a varied, but cohesive palette for the neutral background of driftwood assembled into a tree.

THE REAL TRUTH is found in our humblest moments. Moments that resonate at our core in an honest movement through time and space that is entirely precious and profoundly creative. This creative force is love—pure and simple. What our past was, as seen from our future deserves more than a blink when looking back across our shoulders. It is possible that an eternally binding love still grows between us.

MAY THE BLINDING ambient and “civilized“ artificial light of our daily lives not obscure the stars. May we always remember the way we felt and what we saw in that multi-layered night together. And may we learn to cherish those who make us whole again. May we learn to assemble those fleeting moments into a union as sure as the footprints we leave in the damp sand. And maybe we’ll finally see those limitless moments as clearly as the unobscured starry skies we look deeply into to navigate our futures—together—even if we’re apart.

ONE MUST STILL HAVE CHAOS IN ONESELF TO GIVE BIRTH 

TO A DANCING STAR. 

—NIETZSCHE

TULUM MEMORIES | A vacation collage assembled from only a few of the photos from our trip to Tulum, Mexico in November 2012. In the photo of me at bottom left, I'm holding a diminuative "tree" embedded in a piece of coral, after finding it on the last morning of our stay there. Instantly becoming one of my most cherished trip souvenirs, it makes a reappearance among the seashells in the photos above—a definite talisman of good memories and future dreams.

WATCH THIS! WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO AWE:

©2013 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

heart strings

LOVE is connection. A deep connection that pulls at your heart strings. Whether you love, have loved or lost—these connections always feel achingly similar. Valentine's day has never been one of my favorite holidays, because when you're not able to be with those you hold dearest to your heart for any reason, then it seems insignificant at best and heartbreaking at its worst.

FRAGILE HEARTS | A red-gridded heart was tied to a special Christmas gift my mother received from me years ago and is from Neiman Marcus. The small bumpy ornament (left) is an antique reproduction by Bethany Lowe Designs, which I purchased last year from Bayberry Cove and part of a varied set of three seen on the tree. A ceramic faux bois vase makes the perfect container to give the tree height.

MY MOTHER, who would have celebrated her 89th birthday on February 10th of this year originally inspired this collection of heart ornaments. Part of this collection was started many years ago—as they were individually tied to Christmas gifts I gave to her—one-by-one. They were never meant for Valentine's Day until four years after she had passed. I first photographed  them for a blog post on her birthday in 2009 entitled Hearts of Glass. As I hold these ornaments touched by her and tied by heartstrings, I'm firmly connected somehow to worlds unknown.

HEART BLING | These two hearts may seem like the odd men out on the tree, but they are significant to me for many reasons. The metal rhinestone-studded wings folded into a heart shape is one of two such ornaments I randomly happened upon at Homegoods a few years back, where this past season I also found this glittered Oberfrankishe Glas heart. You have to have a keen eye to find such treasures nestled within all the market outcasts in such stores.

THIS YARN-WRAPPED wire tree has been a meditation of both love and loss for me. The tedious task of upcycling an existing paper-wrapped tree by over-wrapping all of its branches in thin pale pink cotton yarn was time well-spent in reflection. Valentine-themed ornaments are tied to this tree with the same yarn wrapping its branches—branches which were used originally in my blog post entitled White Christmas. 

CARDINAL RED | This hand-blown glass bird ornament could represent one of the showiest of winter birds, the cardinal. Interestingly enough, this brightly-colored bird is always the male of the species. The glass birds were gift from a friend and part of a multi-colored set (the smoke grey glass bird is also on the tree) and are distributed by Roost Home Furnishings.

I DROPPED Devin at the airport with his one-way ticket to New York City on February 2nd. He left his job and most of his belongings here in Atlanta and headed to the Big Apple—as dreamers do—with big plans and a heart full of hope. My heart follows him there. The direction from here is still undetermined, and the tugging will continue until we both have both tested the tension and find the point at which the tightropes into our futures might coincide in tandem again.

EARLY LIGHT | This photo of Devin (left) and I was taken just before we left for the airport on February 2nd, 2013, when he left for New York City.

LIFE IS at once, exciting and heartbreaking—up in the air, as they say. Going out onto a limb is the only way to find yourself in the life you have imagined. I wish Devin all the luck in the world on this journey he must take. It has spurred me to gain the momentum again to live my dreams and find a place where my work is rewarding—by doing what I do best. The sun is shining in both of our faces. But, the physical distance between us casts a long shadow for now. It isn't ever an easy journey to set off into the unknown.

SWEETS FOR THE SWEET | A metal pedestal from Star Provisions is topped with a paper doily and decadently piled high with delicately-flavored Turkish delight in rose and lemon, a 17th century recipe manufactured by Hacizade.

IT WAS ONLY seven years ago that Valentine's Day ushered great sorrow, when my then 33-year-old nephew, Alan died on February 14, 2006. So Valentine's Day—as it will continually be for the rest of my life—is a day of love and sadness combined together and mixed into an emotional stew. It's certainly not easy to swallow, but gives great sustenance, nevertheless.

GERMAN BEAUTY | The most finely-crafted old world ornaments are still made in their German birthplace. A fine example is the company Oberfrankishe Glas which made this beautiful hand-glittered heart ornament in Germany.

TRUER WORDS have been never been written than those that poets write. The following phrase from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem In Memoriam:27, 1850 applies more than ever with with the pull and tug of the present, the gentle nudges of my memory and a tenuous tightrope directed toward the future. Connections of the heart are all firmly tied to those we love dearly. Only for lack of words, do we call them heart strings. But they are more than that.

I hold it true, whate'er befall; 

I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

A VALENTINE card is the most personal and poetic way to express your love for someone. It might be the most important component of a Valentine gift. Valentine's Day is certainly one of the most card-centered holidays of all. If your not crafty or designer-ly enough to make your own, buying a handmade card crafted in the capable hands of a graphic designer/crafts-person, is in order. Your love is certainly not mass-produced and impersonal, so why should the big card companies get all the love? Here are two examples—one custom-designed and another handmade. I designed this valentine (inset, above) at my computer, printed it and gave to Devin the night before he left for NYC. The beautiful stitched card (below) is handmade by another designer friend, Maya Metz Logue.

FOR LOVE | (Inset photo, above right) I designed this card to give to Devin for his send off to New York, as homage to the famous LOVE sculpture by Robert Indiana. HEART STRING VALENTINE | (Above) Maya Metz Logue makes handmade cards that are hand-cut and tied with embroidery thread. She is an art director, graphic designer and illustrator living in Birmingham, Alabama. Her individually handmade cards like this Valentine card, can be bought on her Etsy site by clicking on this link.

©2013 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland
handmade card by MAYA METZ LOGUE