Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly....
~Beauty and The Beast~
Beauty and The Beast was the 30th film in Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It made it worldwide debut on November 23, 1991. It is widely considered one of Disney's greatest animated films, and is the first of only 2 animated films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. (The other being Disney/Pixar's 2009 film-UP) Beauty and The Beast was one of Walt Disney's original story ideas to bring to film. He began a version after Snow White in the 1930s and again in the 1950s, but ultimately gave up because it "proved to be a challenge" for the story team. Many animated films following Beauty and The Beast's release have been influenced by its blending of traditional animation and computer generated imagery. Upon seeing the initial storyboard reels in 1989, Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffery Katzenberg ordered that the film be scrapped and started over from scratch. A few months after starting anew, the director resigned and was replaced by first-time feature directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale. In addition, Katenberg asked songwriters Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who'd written the song score for Disney's recent success The Little Mermaid, to turn Beauty and The Beast into a Broadway-style musical film in the same vein as Mermaid. With 6 nominations, this film currently shares the record for the most nominations for an animated film with WALL-E (2008). It won Best Original Song and Best Original Score for "Beauty and The Beast". It was the 1st ever animated film to win a Golden Globe for Best Picture-then it was followed by The Lion King and Toy Story 2.
Heather's all time favorite movie in the entire world is Beauty and The Beast. She saw the movie and fell in love with everything about it. Especially Belle. She had Belle dolls, sheets and clothes. For at least 2 years in a row she had a Belle birthday party. One year for her birthday we bought her the Beauty and The Beast talking mirror. This mirror lights up and says "show me the beast" as the beast flashes in the mirror. This was one of Heather's prized treasures. For older birthdays I managed to find porcelain Belle dolls; one in her yellow ball gown and one in the red dress. Anything Beauty and The Beast that I see I am instantly transported back to Heather being 3 or 4 years old and wearing her Belle dress for her birthday party.
As I passed the Thomas Kincade Gallery in our mall on October 20, I was utterly speechless as I saw the newly released Beauty and The Beast painting. I had to go look at the breath taking work of art. So, on the 20th of October on the 18 month anniversary of Heather dying, I purchased my 1st ever original Thomas Kincade painting. I find it very ironic that this painting was released in October as was the DVD. This was not by accident I don't believe.
When I returned home I decided that the place for my new painting would be in the living room, next to Heather's grand piano. To me, a very fitting place for this to be. The painting was to be ordered from the factory and I had no idea of just how long it would take to get it here. In the meantime, I decided that the living room and dining room needed a new look for this ever so special painting. So, knowing just what color I wanted to paint the walls, I began my remake of the rooms. I also spray painted all the white furniture glossy black to match the grand piano. So the grapevine wreath that had been in our home for 18 years was taken down and black shelves were put in it's place. When the painting arrived, my idea for the entire remake of the room was complete and perfect.
As to the dining room, we had a Thomas Kincade paper print of a cabin on a lake. This would not go with my new Disney Princess and Minnie Mouse decor of the living room. In going through Heather's things I found the drawing we had made for her. Jenn, Bill and I took a trip to Disneyland in July of 2006 when Wendy was in Hawaii and Heather was in Myrtle Beach. We brought the girls back drawings from the Disney Animators. The drawings are done in 2 or more colors and show the circles and lines that are used to draw the characters. Then the actual character is drawn in a different color. The official animators seal punch is in the corner of the drawing. We had a Minnie Mouse Princess made for Heather. She loved this drawing and always wished to have it matted and framed for her room.
I decided to mat and frame this drawing along with 2 photos of Heather and a souvenir coin from our trip for her birthday in 2008. I had an idea in my head of what I wanted and what I thought it should look like. I took all the items to the frame shop and spent a long time looking at mats that gave it just the look I wanted it to have. Today, I received my matted and framed picture back and it is stunning. It is so amazing. It is more than I ever dreamed it would be. I asked that the coin be matted with mickey ears around it and that is the most amazing part of the whole piece. Heather would be tickled pink that this was framed and that is turned out so beautiful. The painting is hung next to a shelf that holds a Princess Minnie Mouse that Bill brought back from a Hong Kong Disney store for me. This sits right next to the newly framed artwork.
My living and dining rooms are finished and they look and feel amazing. Not that it is a big deal, but any change right now is huge..It means the world, my world is moving on. I know we are suppose to move on, but it still hurts to the bone and feels awful-that time and life is moving on without her here. So, at least in my house, in my rooms, a Beauty and The Beast and a Minnie Mouse drawing hang as a daily vivid reminder that yes Heather did live, she did love Minnie Mouse and Beauty and The Beast. No matter how many days pass she will never ever be forgotten in my life.
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast....
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