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Oct

Artistic Expression That’s a Cut Above

by Janine Boylan on October 14, 2013

Karen Bit Vejle, showing the artistic expression of cut paper art (Image © Marjaana Malkamäki)

Karen Bit Vejle
Image © Marjaana Malkamäk

The Cut Paper Art of Karen Bit Vejle

Until just a few years ago, Karen Bit Vejle had a secret hidden under her rugs.

Like many in her home country of Denmark, Vejle grew up making gækkebrev, cut paper holiday cards. She discovered that she was rather talented at cutting out the little greetings.

For years, Vejle reserved her paper cutting for the holidays. But the summer she turned 16, she had an “Oh, I see!” moment:

. . . I saw a man who was sitting in the sun cutting out paper silhouettes with motifs I had never before seen. I was enraptured, and stood there staring for a long time, watching the man as he maneuvered his scissors to bring forth the most beautiful little paper cutting. I was so taken with the idea that I went right home and got my mother’s sewing scissors, and I have never let them out of my sight since. Read more...

Janine Boylan 10 Comments

Denmark/The World's Art & Design

Oct

Culture Smart: What’s in a Baby’s Name?

by Sheron Long on October 13, 2013

Pregnant woman with blank name tag on her stomach, illustrating the upcoming choice of a baby name that may follow a naming custom

How will the new parents decide on their baby’s name?

Naming Customs Around the World

If you want to start a good conversation, just ask people from different cultures how they got their names. Read more...

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Cultural Diversity/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Worldwide Sites

Oct

Aha Moment Maker: A Best Friend’s Bond

by Your friends at OIC on October 12, 2013

CÓRDOBA, 2006—It is no secret that dogs are intensely loyal, though they can still manage to surprise us with the degree of their devotion. Not long after his death, the family of Manuel Guzmán of Córdoba, Argentina, noticed that his faithful canine companion, Capitán, had run away. A week later, they found him lying next to Guzmán’s gravesite, where he continues to spend every night and most days. Read more...

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Your Own Aha Moments

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