Romanced. I have been seduced by the look and feel of the fabrics and notions I find in the souq in Muscat. And now I have become curious about these fabrics. How did Omanis come to love the colors? Where did the fabrics come from? Did Oman ever produce materials for clothing? I’ve seen these fabric maps of continents – the patterns or designs typical … Continue reading Fascinated by Fabrics
Women of Oman have a gorgeous tradition of bold and bright color combinations. In fact, Omani women can be more bold and creative than most! Like beautiful birds, women have always like to show off their multi-color dresses and accessories. From an early age, there is an appreciation of color and jewelry. They may wear a burqa, but it is not always a simple face … Continue reading Bright and Bold Women of Oman
The signature of #kcbDesigns is a ghutra. Nothing is complete without a ghutra somehow, somewhere. A ghutra is a square cotton scarf men in Oman wear on their heads, wrapped and folded in styles that differ from place to place. In some places, it is more common to see men and boys wearing a kumma – the round, embroidered cap. It is part of the … Continue reading Not Without a Ghutra
I wrote this in 2018 and just updated it, inspired by the celebration on my 70th birthday. I feel like I am on track for adventures in the next 70. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ So, I am officially a Senior Citizen and I hate that label. Scandinavians have used the term Third Age for people who have retired but who are still active and involved in learning and … Continue reading Becoming a Deliberati
The story ends here: But it started with a love for shells, especially the inner workings… It added to a huge respect for Sacred Geometry and the Golden Mean But it took its shape from an image that haunted me until I accepted it as my Sacred Geometric Mean – an image for #kcbDesigns. The Amber Collection is a collaboration with my family in Oman … Continue reading AmberCollection – the Logo Story
I love to travel. This photoblog has been a portfolio of my adventures in Oman and China, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, Canada and the UK. But there are no posts from 2020 because…well, none of us could travel.After I got over the angst of feeling trapped, I realized how lucky I am to be in Oman and I realized I needed to do something to … Continue reading 🥂🎊✨ Introducing…kcbDesigns ✨🎊🥂
Travel adventure is my life, but I do not need to rush around anymore. I don’t want to carry a backpack and race to see all the attractions in a place before marching on. I don’t “do” places like young travelers. I was so privileged and pleased to “live” on Penang Island for an adventure holiday. I have a very dear friend to thank for … Continue reading Penang – 35 days, 35 reasons to stay
I am enraptured with Chinatown, the heart of Georgetown on Penang Island, Malaysia. I cannot deny my shameless bias for all things Chinese in multicultural Malaysia. Because I spend part of every year in China, I feel right at home in Chinatown everywhere but this one is special. Living in Penang for a month, I was drawn back almost every day to the streets and … Continue reading My Love Affair with Georgetown Chinatown
Doha is an amazing city. It didn’t even exist a few decades ago. And look at it now!! Here is that pyramid-shaped hotel today – still vibrant, still iconic on the Doha skyline. Doha has had wise leadership and lots of resources, so, as an ultramodern city, it offers every conceivable opportunity to make memories – many that the world knows all about. I am … Continue reading Making Memories of Qatar in Doha
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