Mary Blair

60 Years of “It’s a Small World”

Did you know that on this date in 1964, “It’s a Small World,” designed and color-styled by the inimitable Mary Blair at the request of Walt Disney himself, opened at the 1964 New York World’s Fair? The Disney Store currently has ears and a dress just in time for the happiest celebration on earth!

Following its 18-month run at the fair, where the ride raised money for UNICEF, it was dismantled at rebuilt at Disneyland. Due to its popularity, similar rides have been installed at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park in Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. In addition to the holiday overlay that is featured annually at Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland will be debuting a special “It’s a Small World with Groot” overlay in 2025, celebrating characters from the Marvel universe. The iconic song, which was written by the legendary Sherman brothers, charmed Walt Disney and resulted in the name of the attraction being changed from “Children of the World” to the famous title we know today. It truly is “The Happiest Cruise that Ever Sailed!”

Mani Monday

In honor of Mary Blair March, I decided to do a mani that mimics her extraordinary use of color. I went with two of the shades from the Holo Taco “Retro Movie Night” collection…the yellow “Hi-Def” and the purple “Anti-Hero.” I think I captured the spirit of her color theory pretty well!

A New Take on Mary Blair March

In the past, I’ve shared makeup, jewelry, books, and of course clothing illustrated or inspired by Mary Blair. This year, I’m taking a look at something completely different, an “It’s a Small World” Scentsy warmer!

Let me preface this by saying I’m not into Scentsy at all. I don’t buy or sell Scentsy stuff, and I don’t even use this warmer to heat wax for the, well, scent. But I saw this adorable warmer last fall, with a rotating shade that depicts Mary Blair-inspired scenes, and I fell in love with it. My mom gave it to me for Christmas, and it sits on my nightstand, where it offers a lovely, gentle glow in the evening:

I love taking Mary Blair March from my wardrobe to home decor!

The Original “It’s a Small World”

If you’ve been around these parts for a while, you know I’m a huge fan of Mary Blair’s work, especially with Disney. Last summer, I was over the moon to get to ride “It’s a Small World,” at Disney World but this year’s trip to Disneyland was even more special, because that’s where the original “It’s a Small World” was relocated after its time at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Instead of the bright colors that the ride in Orlando has at the entrance, the California version has the white and gold color scheme from the end of the ride out front:

Another difference is that the ride begins (and ends) outdoors:

The interior of the ride has the same bright, beautiful colors, which is Mary Blair’s signature:

You might notice references to Disney movies scattered throughout…we were especially excited to find Stitch surfing!

It doesn’t matter where you ride it, it’s still the “happiest cruise that ever sailed!”

As was the case at Disney World, I really didn’t want to say goodbye!

I wonder if I’ll ever have the chance to ride this attraction at any of the other Disney parks?

Shadow Sunday

You’ve seen “Sartorial Saturday” and “Mani Monday,” now it’s time for a new endeavor…”Shadow Sunday!” I’ve been working at improving my eye makeup (especially winged eyeliner!), with some limited success…I thought if I turned it into an occasional feature on my website, that might motivate me to continue to try to do better! To start, here’s a glimpse at one of my favorite recent looks (that you may have already seen), featuring the “It’s a Small World” shadow palette from Colourpop Cosmetics…the wing is decent (I used Maybelline’s Hyper Easy Liquid Pen Liner), but what I really love is the color blending I accomplished!

Makeup for Mary Blair March

Mary Blair March is drawing to a close, but before it’s over, let’s take a look at the perfect makeup to celebrate one of Mary Blair’s most famous designs…”It’s a Small World!”

I was so excited when Colourpop Cosmetics unveiled a collection named after the ride at Disney that has the catchiest tune of all. It includes blushes, highlighters, lip stains (which I also have), and this gorgeous eye shadow palette. I waited to use it for the first time so it could be part of a Mary Blair March look…the colors are so beautiful, and I quite unintentionally ended up with a very Mermaid-y look:

I can’t wait to see the next Colourpop Disney collaboration!

Sartorial Saturday…On a Wednesday–The Mary Blair Necklace

Happy Mary Blair March!

This year, I’m taking a look at something new and different…A RockLove Jewelry Mary Blair Alice in Wonderland spinner necklace:

True to its name, the medallion of the pendant actually spins in the Victorian style:

There are different enamel designs on each side…a flower in Mary Blair’s distinctive colors on one, and a quote from the movie (“Quiet, Bud”), on the reverse:

The boutique box is lovely, as well:

This y-chain necklace is a special and distinctive addition to my wardrobe, representing my favorite vintage Disney artist and my favorite modern jewelry company!

Unfettered Joy

There were so many unforgettable moments on our vacation, so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I will treasure forever. This particular moment, while we were waiting in line to finally ride Mary Blair’s It’s a Small World, captured the absolute joy I felt throughout so much of our trip.

It’s a Small World

Do you have any idea how excited I was to see the bright colors of “It’s a Small World” in Fantasyland?!?

I’ve already shared some pictures of Mary Blair’s work at the Contemporary Resort, but the Disney World attraction she’s most famous for is “It’s a Small World,” and I couldn’t wait to ride it!

Although the original ride was created by WED Enterprises (now known as Walt Disney Imagineering), at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, it wasn’t actually made for Disneyland…it was built for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Following its successful run there, it returned to California and became a beloved attraction at Disneyland. The ride was also added (with some variations ) to Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.

I don’t know much about cruises, but in my opinion, it really is the “Happiest cruise that ever sailed.”

Mary Blair’s distinctive use of color is so obvious throughout the ride:

Even at the end of the ride, when the spirit of international unity is so evident, her fingerprint is unmistakable:

I really didn’t want to say goodbye!

“There is just one moon
And one golden sun
And a smile means
Friendship to ev’ryone
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It’s a small world after all.”

The Magic of Mary Blair

One of the things I was most excited about doing when we were at Disney World was stopping at the Contemporary Resort so we could see the Mary Blair Grand Canyon mural:

The mural is 90 feet tall (!!!), consists of 1,800 hand-painted tiles, and took 18 months to create. It is really hard to comprehend just how massive and detailed it is without seeing it for yourself!

Here’s a zoomed-in (and therefore slightly blurry), look at one of the most famous parts of the mural…the five-legged goat. Mary Blair included it reflect a Southwest Native American belief that nothing made by man can be perfect because man is imperfect. This reminded me a lot of the way quilters will often turn a block in their design, and I think it’s a really cool way to acknowledge the beliefs of the original inhabitants of the area the mural represents!

The scenes representing daily life in the Grand Canyon are whimsical and beautiful:

My only sadness (ok, two sadnesses) is that A.) I didn’t have someone take my picture in front of it; and 2.) That I didn’t photograph the signature tile with Mary Blair’s signature on it. I guess I’ll just have to go back and see it again someday!