tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-309703152023-11-16T01:39:28.880-06:00KEN BROWN'S CALLIGRAPHY & RHYMESOccasionally you'll find something here for the creatively-challenged when it comes to just the right words to express love, appreciation, congratulations, and even a special toast now and then. I do it with beautiful letters, crafted by hand with pen and ink...and a dental drill. And YOU can learn, so check out our site and discover the joys and opportunities that await. -Ken BrownKEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-85779940392008388982011-07-05T05:45:00.002-06:002011-07-05T06:05:03.425-06:00ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0CFmZ3O93Q6GOmuJNYtIvbFE9y8JNqtjf52jkE-VrcVfcEpHlwwrh2oKlui5OjzX8e_H8uUJ963zwcFPO-EIGLN1jmqxJu21UEU7ay-wbDv7L_UOmFpwokvjL8xemlh0pfmIcw/s1600/GAIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0CFmZ3O93Q6GOmuJNYtIvbFE9y8JNqtjf52jkE-VrcVfcEpHlwwrh2oKlui5OjzX8e_H8uUJ963zwcFPO-EIGLN1jmqxJu21UEU7ay-wbDv7L_UOmFpwokvjL8xemlh0pfmIcw/s320/GAIL.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>On a hot July 5th evening in 1961 I met the girl who would become my wife just shy of 7 months later. The photo here was taken in 1984 so I must admit she's just as pretty but there's a bit more of me with a bit less hair. Bit, being considerable.<br />
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Two rather home-spun kids took the plunge on February 10, 1962. For the 7 months before that date and continuing through almost half a century, I've put pencil and pen to paper of all descriptions and I've written rhymes of love, appreciation, and fun to this lady who inspires me daily. Oh, she doesn't get a new issue every day but the collection has come to fill a couple of file drawers.<br />
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Today marks a significant milestone since that chance meeting at the Dairyette in Hugo, OK. I penciled a poem, about that evening, on a legal pad that she'll get later in the day. May share that one here later down the line.<br />
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Since this is a little corner of my day that will have my attention somewhat regularly, I'll share some of my reams of rhymes from time to time. (Sorry, it just comes out that way.)<br />
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Often, these things eek out of my head the night before the day of celebration or the newest milestone. Sometimes they've cooked during the night and wake me at 5:00 a.m. the morning of. On occasion, they're almost completely formed. I must scurry to get them recorded on the nearest napkin or shred of paper before they evaporate.<br />
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The one below was my Valentine edition in 2010. If I did one...and I'm sure I did...for V 2011 I don't know where it is. But it's in a drawer somewhere waiting to see the light of day again in this space one of these days.<br />
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Meanwhile, from February 14, 2010.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Gail</span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;"><i></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">If I were Johnny Mercer,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">I'd pen a masterpiece</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">To say in clever verse and song</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Just how our love has moved along</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">An it would never cease.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">If I were legendary Cole,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">The Porter known so well,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">I'd write and play a melody</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Filled with love to you and me</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">And all the world I'd tell.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">If I were Oscar Hammerstein,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Lyrical and in love,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">I'd fill a thousand lines or more</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">And I'd have Richard write the score,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">A songbook of passion from above.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">But I'm just Ken of average skill,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Blest, and thankfully, </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">I found the girl 'neath heaven's sun,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">An angel for me, two hearts in one</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">And the best is yet to be.....</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Forever Valentines and Sweethearts.....2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan;">Ken</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2010 Ken Brown</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><br />
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</span></span></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-6830303751421685362011-07-04T07:02:00.003-06:002011-07-04T07:26:10.987-06:00JULY 4<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">It's July 4th. It's hot in Texas. Probably where you are too unless you reside at 9,000 feet somewhere in New Mexico or Colorado or your address is in the Andes.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-33931272105720582672010-03-30T09:23:00.014-06:002011-07-05T06:13:45.394-06:00THE BRING-A KID-TO-CLASS DEAL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUZvMmecGaHJ95FvH8da9KVn_ewPSB73HBy_V7LBXV0Bb8DeAu92pn9EZSJoyvTtSWhPsfa42P5mJo1aA05WH5-AJQONSQ0pGux0zCBHZl50eZU_yfioEbAFdlfj-6VKZBwP9JQ/s1600/MICAH.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454451242821018242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUZvMmecGaHJ95FvH8da9KVn_ewPSB73HBy_V7LBXV0Bb8DeAu92pn9EZSJoyvTtSWhPsfa42P5mJo1aA05WH5-AJQONSQ0pGux0zCBHZl50eZU_yfioEbAFdlfj-6VKZBwP9JQ/s320/MICAH.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>Below is a letter from this young man. It's an idea for anyone with a teen-ager needing extra cash for high-shool or college. <br />
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</div><div>This is Micah from Tennessee. His Mother enrolled herself and Micah in my engraving seminar in the spring of 2006. His parents knew of my seminars and foresaw the opportunities their son would have with a special skill in college. Needless to say the ability to personalize gift objects would pay far more than flipping burgers or washing cars.<br />
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</div><div>Micah, like most young people who catch on quickly, amazed me. His work was simply incredible by the end of the third day in the class. He had no previous experience with any of what he did and he outshined most of the adults from almost the beginning. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Oh, if I had only had the skill when I was at college. I flipped burgers. In 1960, the going rate in dorm's snack bar was .40 an hour. Yes, forty cents an hour. But I did get free food while on duty!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Recently, I got a letter from Micah and I'm sharing it below.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Hey Ken!</span></b></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Optima; font-size: medium;"><blockquote type="cite"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">I attended your engraving seminar in May of 2006. I was fifteen at the time. I engraved at Belk during the Christmas/Valentine's/Mother's Day seasons at our local malls in 2007 and 2008. The women working at the fragrance counters were very supportive--they marketed it everywhere from the loudspeaker to fliers to their most loyal customers. But the mall I engraved in was in Johnson City, a town about the size of Waco or Wichita Falls. I know there are larger opportunities out there.</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><br />
</span> </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Later I thought about engraving at spring wine sampling events in Asheville at the Biltmore Estate, the largest private home in the United States. It is now open to the public, and its winery is the most visited in the nation. </span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><br />
</span> </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Next semester, I plan to start my freshman year at Cedarville University. Almost providentially, that college is just 66 miles from Kenwood Town Center, which will welcome Cincinnati's first Nordstrom September 25th. It seems like the perfect opportunity. But since Nordstrom in Cincinnati on opening day will be a </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">much </span></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">higher caliber than Belk in Johnson City, I would deeply appreciate any tips you could offer.</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><br />
</span> </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Thanks you so much,</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Micah</span></b></span></div></blockquote></span>I gave Micah some suggestions and tips and he's earned from $50. to $75. per hour at the events. Pretty nice income for a college kid.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So, here's my idea and special offer to you.</div><div><br />
</div><div>BRING A KID TO CLASS. Maybe you have a son or daughter, or grandchild, who would love the chance to learn a wonderful new skill to help with college expenses. It works. What a great high-school graduation gift it would be. Or a birthday gift. It's a cliche but this is truly <i>a gift that keeps on giving</i>....for decades to come.</div><div><br />
</div><div>If both of you take the PROFESSIONAL course, the published $1500. per person fee will cover BOTH of you. Student comes FREE.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The same deal goes for a spouse or a friend if you enroll at the same time. Offer is available for a limited time.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Call us at 214.250.6958 to reserve your seat(s).</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>-Ken</div><div><br />
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</div></div></div></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-45284229637710893732010-03-30T08:15:00.007-06:002011-07-04T13:09:32.979-06:00FIRST, FIRST, FIRST and a GREAT OFFER 10 YEARS LATER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NJdrnenNyjG6kiWCdRq49TYQxUoe6Qy_wWCXO1zY-ztWRAX5Ita_jvRksaQOYQP_5xXIYQuIBiY99Kahy2nC0NVXlnVUi6MkAtFTNuH9fsYMTZtrk0x94NBYCkzTRUuSDIGS3g/s1600/JOANNE+PHOTOwf2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454430462627756530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NJdrnenNyjG6kiWCdRq49TYQxUoe6Qy_wWCXO1zY-ztWRAX5Ita_jvRksaQOYQP_5xXIYQuIBiY99Kahy2nC0NVXlnVUi6MkAtFTNuH9fsYMTZtrk0x94NBYCkzTRUuSDIGS3g/s320/JOANNE+PHOTOwf2.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 265px;" /></a>Meet Joanne, from southern California, who became my FIRST Ken Brown Certified Engraver. Not the best digital photo from 2001 but the best I have. Joanne not only was the first to certify, but the first one to enroll in my first seminar. She's a gorgeous lady who has made her engraving pay rich dividends through the years.<br />
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</div><div>In addition to engraving items for individuals, she's a regular at several major department stores in the Los Angeles area where she does fragrance bottles at their special events near holidays and other special occasions.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Gail and I still have a wine bottle, unopened, that Joanne sent to us for a wedding anniversary several years ago.</div><div><br />
</div><div>By the way, in that first class, we had another lady from Memphis, a lady from near Austin, Texas, a man from southern California, and a lady from Atlanta who produced videos for a large manufacturer of crafts materials. We held the class in the conference room of a small hotel in McKinney, Texas, over the Memorial Day weekend. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Let us hear from you if you have an interest in <a href="http://web.mac.com/kenbrownlines/ALL_CURRENT_PAGES/SEMINAR_BANNER.html">attending one of our Seminars</a>.</div><div><br />
</div><div>-Ken</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-64965888423021330022010-03-29T15:38:00.004-06:002011-07-04T13:07:22.018-06:00INTERESTING CROSS-BREED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Have been working on a feature story to promote my engraving seminars and it hit the internet this past Tuesday. Had a lot of help from a talented lady who is an expert at these things. She did a masterful job of getting me 'out there' so I'll share the link with you.<br />
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</div><div>We titled the piece <a href="http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/what-do-you-get-when-you-cross-a-dental-drill-with-calligraphy-an-unlikely-career-1197772.htm">WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU CROSS A DENTAL DRILL WITH CALLIGRAPHY? AN UNLIKELY CAREER.</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Well, it's done and in cyberspace so take a look. As you've seen on the bottle in the previous post and a zillion other items on <a href="http://web.mac.com/kenbrownlines/LOVE_MY_LETTERS/HOME.html">my site</a>, hand-engraving is simple a phenomenal way of providing a universally-popular service that renders a nice income stream. I've proven time and time again that if a person has desire, patience, and some hand-eye coordination, this can be learned. I'm totally self-taught, but it took me a lonnnng time to get it right. The seminars I teach are the fast-track to learning and you CAN do it if you want it badly enough.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Great fun here in the engraving world......you should come join us!</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>-Ken</div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-58448318543651921632010-03-29T15:15:00.006-06:002010-03-29T15:32:29.528-06:00DESIGNATED DRIVER<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7w825ItFD79L0Jl7C5OpFl6gvpsbMId39DrzTtfgUzGHiWL_XBXOuYSXJSIU3V9WogmkE0KdV0avGM_iGeatfQ240dhYciN_Kx0jkQsx5rKKYPcIKUVJR6MFC94GmZFQGsNNEfg/s1600/woodford.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7w825ItFD79L0Jl7C5OpFl6gvpsbMId39DrzTtfgUzGHiWL_XBXOuYSXJSIU3V9WogmkE0KdV0avGM_iGeatfQ240dhYciN_Kx0jkQsx5rKKYPcIKUVJR6MFC94GmZFQGsNNEfg/s320/woodford.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454168786061128562" /></a>Last September I attended the 15th Anniversary of the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Thousands of Vette drivers caravanned to the place from every corner of the country. It was an amazing sight. Had a grand time in my little booth there engraving Corvette parts, along with some knives and other goodies I took for the crowd.<div><br /></div><div>There was an auction for some worthwhile cause, so I purchased a bottle of Kentucky bourbon, wrote a poem, engraved it on the bottle, and then donated it to the auction.</div><div><br /></div><div>It brought a nice price and gave me a bit of buzz at the show, so it was certainly worth the time, effort, and cost. </div><div><br /></div><div>The glass bottle was of high quality. Same as the bourbon, I'm told but I didn't sample any of it. I engraved it with a number 2 round carbide and filled with gold Rub 'N Buff. </div><div><br /></div><div>Remember, if you're an engraver, this kind of gift is always a huge hit. If you're not, and want such for your own gift or presentation, I know where you can find a good hand-engraver of calligraphy. If you'd like to be taught to do it yourself, I can certainly arrange that too.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-Ken</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-77926974265334615132010-03-22T16:55:00.004-06:002011-07-04T12:51:53.699-06:00GOLF. SECOND ROUND<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">One of my three readers wrote and asked whether graphite golf club shafts can be engraved.<br />
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No. It weakens the shaft and makes a dark black cloud of ugly dust in the process. Stick to the metal on the head, steel shaft, or hosel. He also asked if engraving a putter head would change the balance and affect his score. Well, unless the letters are huge and deep, I'd bet not.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Here's one more tongue-in-cheek rhyme for a golfer. Include it with a nice bottle of wine the next round there's reason to celebrate.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">THE CURE</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Hole-in-one a fantasy,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Eagles extremely rare.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Three-putts foul your final,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">But with good wine you won't care.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: silver;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">-Ken Brown copyright 2010</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-48781649151618400962010-03-21T13:35:00.009-06:002011-07-04T12:49:33.556-06:00GOLF<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXRIkXj9lpEHCj4YSjCJcR0rf5w3kudtChcCgEgYy26ezjrEw6W5XZcgVnTKeLKFl4opfX43q5BAZwjV6ekpwv_xCjJ1oC3UNq5XPdVnY5-BKiPIMNTx5LhvVkbLMPgCdXT-IJQ/s1600-h/SNAKE+EYES.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451173951200768194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXRIkXj9lpEHCj4YSjCJcR0rf5w3kudtChcCgEgYy26ezjrEw6W5XZcgVnTKeLKFl4opfX43q5BAZwjV6ekpwv_xCjJ1oC3UNq5XPdVnY5-BKiPIMNTx5LhvVkbLMPgCdXT-IJQ/s400/SNAKE+EYES.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 302px;" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In 1953 I discovered golf in Hugo, Oklahoma. I was a 6th grader earning .50 a round for toting clubs and chasing errant golf balls for the likes of Bob Grant, Tom O'Dea, and I may have carried them a time or two for Art Harris.<br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>We had a 9 hole course with sand greens. Yes, I hear you now, 'What are sand greens?" Instead of the burr-haircut-short, perfectly manicured grass greens of today, we had a big, perfectly round hole, about 10 yards in diameter, gouged about 6" deep at the other end of the fairway. You could usually see it from the tee box. Looked like a big ugly smudge where a rocket was launched and burned off the lush green grass around the adjacent fairway. The hole was filled with nasty, oily sand. In the dead center was the cup holding the flag. The idea was to knock the little white ball from the tee box in as few strokes as possible to sink it in the hole in the center of the big brown spot. Big order. <br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>Well, from wherever your ball landed after the tee-off, was where you wanted your next shot to stop. Somewhere on that ugly, scarred place in an otherwise picturesque spot on the golf course.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I'll spare you most of the details except to say that once on the 'green'....and why in God's name did they call it that? It was a greasy 'brown!' When your ball landed somewhere in the sand, you were allowed to step off....not exactly accurate in all cases....the distance from your ball's place to the edge of the....green. You'd then, walk around to the 'putting drag' which was the only smooth place in the sand. It was a strip of finely-packed sand about 18" wide from the edge of the green to the cup. You placed your ball on the drag at the same distance you stepped off earlier, perched over it like Tiger Woods....O.K, like Arnold Palmer....and gave it a healthy swat with the putter, hoping it could make the trip all the way to the cup. I've seen Al Alexander and a couple others use a two-iron just to make sure it got there.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>Fast-forward a few decades and, occasionally, I'm on the #1 teebox at some Dallas-area country club, often sitting under a nice shade tree with someone fetching me a cool one every now and then. As the golfers parade up to the tee, I ask if I may put their name on their driver, putter, chipping wedges, or whatever else they may have in the bag. Depending upon how many cool ones they've already had, it can be quite interesting what they decide to have permanently etched into their sticks.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>After sundown one evening, at the big dinner party following the tournament and during the 'putt-off' on the practice green at Colonial Country Club in Ft. Worth, Texas, an attractive woman, who had been through the martini line at least 4 times, sauntered up to my table. She had her putter in one hand and martini...I'm guessing at least #4...in the other. She fashioned herself as being a movie star from a James Bond movie as she announced, loud enough for all in 20 feet to hear her, "Hi Ken Brown. I want you to engrave 'Pussy Galore' right here on the top of my putter!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>I gulped. I kept my composure and merely smiled like it was all routine, while all around laughed hilarously. I took her putter and gave it her requested name. I've wondered, in the light of a new day, if she wished she could erase it. Probably not. Maybe it cut a few strokes from her game, but we won't go there.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>Bottom line is this: A big chunk of the golfing crowd loves to have their name and, sometime a phone number, engraved on their clubs. Not uncommon to sink a 40 footer (on a grass green!) and walk away, leaving a chipping wedge on the lip of the green after the celebration. When it has the golfer's name on it, usually it ends up in the pro shop and can be retrieved there.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>In the photo above, I engraved 'Snake Eyes' for a sober golfer. The titanium head engraves magnificently, although showers of white sparks shoot from the letters as they're being made each time I do titanium. Quite a pretty sight.<br />
<br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span>Prettier, is the 20 bucks the golfer hands me for the work.</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div>Now, as long as we're on the subject, here's a little ditty you might include with your next gift of a golf item. I was asked to create a round of poems for a set of golf glasses, so I'll share one of them here. If you know ANYTHING about golf, this will make perfect sense. Enjoy!</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>-Ken</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MY GOLFING SWEETHEART</span></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Your best wood is your pencil,</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Your best number is FORE!!!</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Your best round hasn't happened,</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Your best lie is your score!</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;"><br />
</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: silver;">-Ken Brown copyright 2010</span></span></i></div><div><br />
</div></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-45301182978201179042010-03-19T14:42:00.002-06:002011-07-05T06:04:20.808-06:00GOLF CLUBS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizM2WQBOu2OUyi_yeHLvCL4uZgu_8tSMLrWaEczuvk66yHvGQJ0qfOofsrafCnB1cZXnjAYkjed55nby11uRu9-TFSFy0NNEMrjJFnGxgbdZje8KhUOKA8anay5MfSFptZvbBhXg/s1600-h/SNAKE+EYES.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizM2WQBOu2OUyi_yeHLvCL4uZgu_8tSMLrWaEczuvk66yHvGQJ0qfOofsrafCnB1cZXnjAYkjed55nby11uRu9-TFSFy0NNEMrjJFnGxgbdZje8KhUOKA8anay5MfSFptZvbBhXg/s400/SNAKE+EYES.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450480149721601378"></a>When I was in 5th grade I discovered golf. At first, from the perspective of a rookie caddy, chasing golf balls in the rough, bobbing for balls in the creek, and toting a bag of clubs for the golfer who was paying top fees for 9 holes. A fat fifty cents. That included all the above and about 2 miles of walking behind the guy blasting balls everywhere but inthe fairway. We got our drinking water from garden hoses strewn around the greens. There were no golf carts back then! It was all quite primitive. But I got the fever and eventually got my own clubs. <div><br /></div><div>Well, all that went away as I became an adult and got busy with other things. I still have an affinity for the game but now I find myself not toting the other guy's clubs but engraving his or her name on them. Can't say it's as much fun as playing the game but it's a bit more profitable unless I gambled and that's surely not my game.</div><div><br /></div><div>The photo shows a driver with a black titanium head onto which I engraved the owner's nickname. I think he thought this would help his game but have no idea that it did. However, he loved the personalization and probably made bets beyond his limit, thinking this cool club would shave strokes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hustled all the Dallas area country clubs several years ago and engraved enough clubs, put end-to-end to stretch from the first tee to about the 5th green! The golfers love them. The women love them even more. One lady, after a long hot round of golf and about 4 martinis at the bar one July afternoon came up to my table and</div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-8633750913149740842010-03-18T16:46:00.011-06:002011-07-04T12:45:56.633-06:00MOTHER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7PkmbK0PfTsuBFmxpAPX0jYQMRbQ5ZoZ3w7fkr7wKJmAlyiK3ochHapyNsw6WuVTgOwGkGLzOrNLcZ2Vhh6gdYOt8DtNEtKjhK9RYL4FEoYaK7kZQgbZhzbze09DHaMYqyF4RQ/s1600-h/COMPACT+8" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450111351207275138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7PkmbK0PfTsuBFmxpAPX0jYQMRbQ5ZoZ3w7fkr7wKJmAlyiK3ochHapyNsw6WuVTgOwGkGLzOrNLcZ2Vhh6gdYOt8DtNEtKjhK9RYL4FEoYaK7kZQgbZhzbze09DHaMYqyF4RQ/s400/COMPACT+8" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a>This is an Estee Lauder mirrored compact. It is a discontinued design that was offered at $55. several years ago in stores. They are no longer available. We obtained a quantity of this, and other similar designs, directly from Estee Lauder in New York. It is 2-1/4" in diameter with a mirror and well inside for a small translucent powder and puff available at any Lauder counter in department stores.<br />
<div><br />
The back is a matt finish and perfect for the name of the recipient to be engraved.</div><div><br />
In going through my files and archives, I find a lot of references to angels, and, without planning it, several have already shown up in this column. I suppose we all have our own ideas about them. Below is a verse I wrote about one in 2006; in my case the angel is my wife. Perhaps it fits for some Mother or special lady you know. <a href="http://web.mac.com/kenbrownlines/FRAGRANCE_%26_COMPACTS/FRAGRANCE_%26_COMPACTS_TITLE_PAGE.html">Compacts are available</a> from KEN BROWN STUDIO. 214.250.6958</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">AN ANGEL</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">I asked for an angel,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">No halo adorned,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">No gossamer wings,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">No trumpeting horn.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">I asked for an angel</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">To brighten my view,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">Thank God of the angels,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #33ccff;">He’s given me you.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> -Ken Brown copyright 2010</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div></div><div><br />
</div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-88104482844131986902010-03-18T12:04:00.009-06:002011-07-04T08:54:02.410-06:00A QUINTET OF WINE BOTTLES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUaTzsjQm3nDcF8XeEdAP9jJEkn1RtTVIKCGxA7zxe77qWqtCJ4sar1krqIfOWMecbq19Yp6IcHU-Po0AHt4hadECXUqJ5vo7jAej07k-VN2yGZtwF-aCzq8cezWTVc3r_xwQtA/s1600-h/DLP_1253%C2%A9piassick.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450036429371175138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUaTzsjQm3nDcF8XeEdAP9jJEkn1RtTVIKCGxA7zxe77qWqtCJ4sar1krqIfOWMecbq19Yp6IcHU-Po0AHt4hadECXUqJ5vo7jAej07k-VN2yGZtwF-aCzq8cezWTVc3r_xwQtA/s400/DLP_1253%C2%A9piassick.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 365px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> Hats off to Dan Piassick of Dallas who photographed this grouping of my engraved wine bottles. They were shot during a photo session for D HOME Magazing; they did a nice little squib on me in the March-April 2010 issue. It's an upscale, slick magazine on the scale of an Architectural Digest so I was pleased to have been on a page with three others, all labled 'Craft Masters.'<br />
<div> These bottles show the variety of look and feel of some beautiful bottles that were personalized for various people. The tall one was for the Dallas hand surgeon, Dr. Paul Ellis at Baylor Medical Center, who keeps these two hands in great shape. </div><div> Up until about 3 years ago, fragrance reigned in the Ken Brown Engraving Events but wine has passed fragrance for me. I'd bet there is a far larger consumption of wine than fragrance....and far more often. The only limitation to wine bottle engraving is champagne and sparkling wine. Because of the pressure in the bottles, those are too dangerous to tackle with the drill. If a bottle has a weak spot, that nobody would ever notice, the engraving could set off an explosion of the bottle so those are off limits for personalization with hand-engraving. They can be sand-blasted but that's another story for another time.</div><div> If you're not a calligrapher or engraver, watch for some of the messages in future posts....or even previous ones....that you could type on paper and present with a bottle for your own special occasion or gift need.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br />
</div><div>-Ken</div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-75640116184562952972010-03-17T14:08:00.001-06:002010-03-17T15:45:22.810-06:00HEAVEN'S SCENT<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpMrhkprkvF1hphYfZVcnByrZtyLQAAxe_3u7ZFEuHkh5uKE1RJjPdE6dZUGJg2wEm6PfEvqL80TCTJ_wFbUwC4O5BTWWQoo2rGJec19bJ2liDu7NGNpDGXujhA7mCMDR_38lYA/s1600-h/CHANEL.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpMrhkprkvF1hphYfZVcnByrZtyLQAAxe_3u7ZFEuHkh5uKE1RJjPdE6dZUGJg2wEm6PfEvqL80TCTJ_wFbUwC4O5BTWWQoo2rGJec19bJ2liDu7NGNpDGXujhA7mCMDR_38lYA/s200/CHANEL.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449698638125098722" /></a>Here's a wedding proposal I did for a NORDSTROM customer at one of my <a href="http://web.mac.com/kenbrownlines/LOVE_MY_LETTERS/FRAGRANCES_FIRST.html">engraving events</a> there. It's one of maybe a dozen various proposals I've done through the years for in-store customers visiting my engraving table. And....at least 3 were for women doing the proposing! <a href="http://web.mac.com/kenbrownlines/LOVE_MY_LETTERS/FRAGRANCE_2__.html">See more of my bottles.</a><div><br /></div><div>As a wedding, anniversary, or birthday gift, below is one of mine you could engrave on a bottle of his or her favorite fragrance. If you don't engrave, but can do calligraphy, letter it on a classy sheet of paper and frame it. Or, perhaps you might just type in a graceful font....on nice stock...and give it with the gift. Be sure to personalize it with the recipient's name and sign yours at the bottom. If you plan to frame it, be sure to trim your paper to fit the frame and leave adequate margins for the matt and frame covering the perimeter of the sheet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">HEAVEN'S SCENT</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Heaven's scent, you leave me breathless,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Fragrance lingers where you are;</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">In a world of wondrous angels,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">You are heaven's brightest star.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-Ken Brown copyright 2010</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-72082950916149756322010-03-17T05:37:00.001-06:002010-03-19T05:32:03.910-06:00AN ANNIVERSARY<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">Happy St. Patrick's Day!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div>On February 10, 2004, Gail and I celebrated wedding anniversary number 42. Yes, hard to believe it was 1962 when we walked down the aisle of her tiny Methodist church in Soper, Oklahoma. Church was full of people. We were full of love and still are. Below is the poem I wrote and gave her early on our anniversary. As they usually are, this was last-minute and there was no time to engrave<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span>it on a vase or calligraph it on a piece of parchment. <div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>So, if you have a special one coming up yourself, you might jiggle the numbers and tweak the words to keep the same thoughts strung together. Remember, you have a computer with a lovely bunch of fonts. If you're not skilled with the quill, then type away and good luck on your special day!</div><div><br /></div><div>We share with you.....</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">ANNIVERSARY</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Today is special for you and me,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">For it's forty-two Anniversary.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">A love that started quite carefree</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Developed and grew so carefully.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">The heavens knew this boy and girl</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Were destined partners in the world</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Where each, whose love would soon unfurl,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Would make their marriage, the rarest pearl.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">So here's to you and here's to me,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Two kids from the sixties, grown to sixties be,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Whose love will last to eternity....</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">Oh, yes, and the best is yet to be.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">I love you, Gail, my own special Angel.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">-Ken</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">-Ken Brown copyright 2010</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"> </span></span></div></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-4934382050310325212010-03-16T15:36:00.003-06:002010-03-19T05:33:08.987-06:00LOVE MY LETTERS....FIRST ENTRYWell, someone DID read to the bottom of my first post on Halloween, 2007! <div><br /></div><div>She has already emailed and asked for a suggestion. Thank you Susan from Tennessee!</div><div><br /><div>You mentioned needing something for a birthday for your 'angel' guy in another city. Here's one of the zillion I've written to Gail and I'll share it with you. If you can do calligraphy, get a piece of paper and letter it. If not, pick a pretty font and type in on a nice piece of stationery stock. The office supply stores have lots of choices. Put his name at the top, sign yours at the bottom and date it. Roll it up, tie a pretty ribbon around it and put it on his plate the next time you have dinner together. Good Luck!</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Often, women come up to me at the table at NORDSTROM, or MACY'S, or MARKET STREET and say, "Ken Brown, if you ever teach a 'husband's class' on the sentiments you engrave on bottles and in your other writings, I'm sending my mine for you to teach a thing or two!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, that's always a huge compliment but I have no idea just how that would work...or if it would. So....I share my words...to men AND women...and you can adjust them as necessary to fit your needs. Good luck. I'd love to have your feedback. For now, my email address is in my profile on the home page.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ken</div><div><br /></div></div></div><div>P.S. Please do spread the word to a dozen friends who do computers. I have aspirations for these reams of rhymes to be bound and on bookshelves one of these days so I don't have to work so hard finding people to teach my lettering and engraving skills!</div><div><br /></div><div><div style=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">THEE I ADORE</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I would sing the melody,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My heart would hum the harmony,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To show the whole world family</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Just how much you mean to me.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A thousand violins or more,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And harps to play the lovely score,</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">With angels perched above my door</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To show how Thee I do adore.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#33CCFF;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#C0C0C0;">-Ken Brown copyright 2010</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;color:#33CCFF;"><br /></span></div></div></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-71458190661372007542010-03-15T14:25:00.000-06:002010-03-16T14:47:47.446-06:00WOOD & METAL ENGRAVING<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Yj2lmsQ4I9zt9Ti1kAm_h5rJLT-QYE5vad6NMzja4s5v6iozpwNThLlIWTz3aDHUKb0VolsCjLv6Dqb9wrBoacGl6ASse7vCSq50OfNg1OnOegmjn-uIiiBmEfnUbcqmiOE6QQ/s1600-h/GUN+%26+KNIVES066.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 398px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Yj2lmsQ4I9zt9Ti1kAm_h5rJLT-QYE5vad6NMzja4s5v6iozpwNThLlIWTz3aDHUKb0VolsCjLv6Dqb9wrBoacGl6ASse7vCSq50OfNg1OnOegmjn-uIiiBmEfnUbcqmiOE6QQ/s400/GUN+%26+KNIVES066.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448959843463280722" /></a><a href="http://kenbrown.com/">This is the kind of thing you learn in our Seminars.</a> Wood, metal, glass....they're all wonderful surfaces for engraving with the dental drill!KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-8687218112140306362010-03-15T13:17:00.000-06:002010-03-15T13:38:53.440-06:00I'M BACK!Greetings.......O.K., so I got busy with other less important things....thinking they were more important....and left this in the dust.<br />Better watch closely. There are some cool things coming!<br />-KenKEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30970315.post-50530445619442548612007-10-31T14:48:00.000-06:002010-03-16T15:06:38.524-06:00MY FIRST VENTURE INTO BLOGGING<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>For many years I've written rhyme and used it in a thousand ways. I've published my verses in </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">artprints</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> and millions are out there in the world. I've written drafts on napkins at McDonald's and paper </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">tablecovers</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> at Macaroni Grill. I've given my poems to friends, strangers, and family members since I was in high school. Some of those faded, torn, and dog-eared original drafts are squirreled away in file folders and drawers here and there. The polished, framed, finished pieces in many formats reside on my computer's hard drive, on walls, in wallets, in books, on banners, on crystal vases, hand-lettered on the seats of directors' chairs, and a zillion other places of all descriptions.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">Now, I'm ready to start sharing them in another way....on the computers of the world....hoping visitors will discover they can use some of my poems and ideas to be tailored for their own use.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">When I can find and match the drafts to the final versions, I plan to show the drafts and tell a bit about what I can remember thinking and scheming at the time the draft was created. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">Of course if you're talented in these ways they'll be of little interest to you. However, I've found the vast majority of the people I see and talk to....and who see </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">snippits</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> of my craziness...seem to feel there might be mass appeal. If that's so, you may see this column blossom into a multi-faceted work that I hope will always be in progress with masses coming and clicking </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">clickety</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> clack to all the ads supporting my ramblings.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">My work is targeted for those who would admit to their 'challenge' when it comes to a romantic message or a clever verse that fits the occasion. It's all about </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">wordsmithing</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> so I'm opening my files, heart, and soul, hoping you find something to fill a need.....or create one. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">And while you're reading this, visualize me with a napkin, a ballpoint pen, and an Egg </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">McMuffin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"> at the Golden Arches where I've excavated so many of my best word combinations. As I fondly recall, that first egg and English muffin and poem about my son's baby shoes all came together on Story Road, in Irving, TX, at an early </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">McDonalds</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">, circa 1973.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">SO....now, to prove to me someone is reading this first one...revisited on March 16, 2010....say so and I'll post a couple of those hidden-away rhymes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">Ken</span></span></span></span></span></div>KEN BROWNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17819403510196158674noreply@blogger.com0