our first real snow of the season

How wonderful the world looks around me, in the first snow to stick for this season! 

The trees look like they are carefully frosted. 

The night time is brighter in the white glow.

THINGS I AM LIKING TODAY:

• the fireplace heating up the brick kitchen wall
• watching old vhs movie favorites under a down-filled quilt
• ham leftovers for lunch and dinner
• all the glow of the Christmas tree lights  
• planning for bowling and ice skating with the kids
• my car which gets me safely around and stops well in the snow
• a warm bed to curl up in with soft blankets and cozy flowered pillow case
• a connection to a dear friend at just the right times 
• the newly organized pantry

THINGS I WANT TO DO:

• switch to my new computer desk area set-up
• continue weeding out Christmas decor
• sort more magazines that were hand-me-downs
• hear from a long not seen friend I have reached out to
• set up some clearance sale item listings in my Etsy shop

On to the new year...

Soon we are on to the new year.
Hope your holiday was a merry happy Christmas time.
Ours was nice with lots of shared love, laughter with the kids, and blessings.

We built a big puzzle and watched old favorite movies on VHS and DVD together last night.
Tonight maybe some old 8mm and super 8 movies of our family shown on a projector against a pull down tripod screen.
Memories -new- are fun to make, memories -old- are fun to revisit.

Christmas is past

This is what it looked like a few weeks back, before I decorated the hutch with vintage Christmas stuff. My kitty was inspecting the area for me. This is also what it looked like again last night, after all the vintage Christmas was packed away for another year.
How 'bout a look around at what it was like for the holiday here when all the vintage nostalgia was in full force.

So much of this stuff takes me back to the days of visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house. I have great memories of those times.... visual reminders and certain scents-- like ham baking in the oven, or fruitcake in a tin, can make me feel like a kid in their house like it was yesterday.

Some of these items will be sold off and new (or old) things will come in to replace them. The circle of collections and thrifting.

We had a good Christmas together as a family. Good food, good memories made, the warmth of a crackling fire in the fireplace and the promise of what our faith brings us.

I love the photo above and am thinking I will offer it for sale as a print. Don't you love those old Christmas bulbs?

We did end up having a real tree once again this year, vs. an artificial one, after a lapse of several years. Boy did I miss a real tree. Love the scent! Our tradition each year was to go to a tree farm the second weekend of December and cut one as a family outing. I miss that tradition, but the tree farms all became more pricey than our budget would easily allow, so sadly there have been no recent trips to the tree farm. This year we headed to the big box home store to buy a tree that was probably cut back in Sept. or something crazy like that. Anyway, we could afford it as it was cheap enough, with the help of our rebate coupon we were redeeming from a previous purchase for a much needed home repair- (adventures in home ownership, as we like to refer to it)-and it really was a cute, tiny tree, after all.... even if it had been cut months ago and struggled to hold its needles.

On top of the table by the window it looked like a tall proud tree from outside. We did fool the neighbors, until they came inside and our secret was revealed. Look closer and you will see one of our traditions...

We always put my stuffed animal squirrel from my childhood tucked in among the branches.
Some of you may know of a movie that has a squirrel in the Christmas tree!!

We ended up having to take down the tree early as it was very dry and we did not want to burn down the house. You know, since it was probably cut back in Sept. or something and all the drinks we gave it were not enough to refresh it for long. We would ordinarily leave it up until Epiphany. Since I had to take the tree down I disassembled the rest of the decor while I was on a roll. On to the new year!!

salted peanuts

(from Crimes of the Heart)

Have you ever seen that movie? I watched it again a few weeks ago. It is silly and a little sad. I love the big old house and the big pitcher of fresh lemonade and the sisters being crazy together. I don't have a blood sister, although I have 2 people in my life I consider sisters.

I am also intrigued by the salted peanuts being put into a Coke. I have always wondered what that tastes like and have wanted to someday try it.

Pat commented on my last post about salted peanuts in Coke and it brought it all back to me...I need to try that!

I commented back to her that it must be a strictly Southern thing as I do not know anyone around here who does it. I also mentioned in my last post that I am not a pop drinker, as such.

Maybe I will make a date to try salted peanuts in Coke-- soon! I do wonder though, does the taste experience change if you don't do it with a glass bottle of pop?

Hepburns

Are you an Audrey or a Katherine fan?, Hepburn that is. I am both an Audrey and Katherine fan. I like many, many movies done by each of these women who share the same last Hollywood name. Lots of people have seen "...Tiffany's" but do you like her in "Sabrina"? I love that movie. Lots have seen "Guess who's coming to dinner" but do you like "Desk Set"? I love that movie!
I love them all!
What is your favorite Hepburn movie?

Book from 1941 with super wonderful colors on the cover.

January thaw

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a winter kind of gal. I am happiest when it is snowy. I love the cold weather too. Yet, when it dips below the 20 degree mark on the old Fahrenheit thermometer, and decides to stay there, it is too cold for even this northern-most Ohio girl!! Last week we had some snow, which I loved, and some really cold temps that followed, which I didn't love. We had some days of single digit temps. Brrrrrrr.

I went to the movie theater with my friend to see, IT'S COMPLICATED. It was a fun movie. I love Meryl Streep in just about anything! Have you watched THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY lately? I had watched my neighbor's dvd of MOMMA MIA (I love that one!!)a few days before going to the theater--here's something kinda weird but funny... during IT'S COMPLICATED, almost at the end, someone's cell phone rang in the theater and before they frantically turned it off we could hear the ring tone was the song Dancing Queen from Abba's Momma Mia!!!!

I go to the movie theater only once or twice a year. Here's the part where the cold weather ties in with my going to the movie theater:
I left my coat in my friend's car so I wouldn't have to deal with it in the theater. I didn't put it back on once back in the car either- her car heater warms up quicker than mine! I just don't like coats, I guess you have caught on to that fact. I ended up accidentally leaving my coat in her car. I knew almost immediately after she dropped me off at home. I wasn't worried because I knew a January thaw was coming, and besides, I had other things I could wear that are somewhat the same idea as a coat. I hate coats!!

She emailed me today and said, "OMG, I have your coat!"
I didn't need it back because I only feel forced to wear an actual coat when it is colder than 20 degrees...and I knew we had a January thaw on the way. We had a heat wave the last few days. It has even gone up to 38 degrees!!!
And besides, I knew I would be seeing her again, so my coat was not lost.


For those of you that are wondering, YES! I do wear an actual coat if I am out for a winter walk or sledding with the kids. I am silly, not stupid!!! I just prefer not to wear one if I am just going from the house to the car to the store to the car.....you get the idea. I have a coat in the car in case I would ever get stranded. I'm not a total imbecile.

These are some photos I took last week when it was still single digit temps. I adore the white snow against the red building and the weathered wood of the garden fence.

Now with the January thaw, these same areas still have snow but it is that squishy, gray, yukky stuff.

I much prefer the beauty of the fluffy bright white stuff!!

Especially when it creates surprise sights, like this snow covered heart in the garden, to discover.

party

(vintage milk glass dishes and aromatic White Pine cuttings from the yard -there are more pine cones but they didn't show in this pic )

The teenagers were here again the other evening, and so the snacks were set out. Snacks never last long with 6 hungry kids- they're always hungry. This was just the center piece and small sweets- white chocolate covered pretzel balls, Snowcaps, inside out Junior Mints, and Tootsie Rolls-, thank goodness for the dollar store! There were bigger bowls of other salty goodies too. Minutes before the party started, 2 huge trays of homemade cookies were sent over from the neighbors..."We heard you were having the teenagers over again!"
Remember when you could eat anything you wanted and never worry about calories?

Karaoke and Rock Band and of all things....they all curled up on the furniture under warm quilts near the crackling fire for a showing of Mary Poppins on video until about 1:30 am !! There was a loud sing along for each and every song. This is a very musical group.

Food and music and they are set!

teenage invasion

I am one of those moms that loves to have the kids (teenagers) gather at my house. That's what happened again over the weekend. Oh the roller coaster ride that is daily mom-to-teens life!

So this was the scene when the old gang was all back together again. Forget what you have heard about baby proofing a room, that's easy. The room that is teenager proofed is much more thought-filled on the part of a mom. You learn these things after the pop is spilled a few times. I wouldn't have it any other way though as I love the noise and laughter that comes with this group. First up was playing Rock Band. Loud. Is there any other way? It is fun to see them sing and play the songs from my teen age years which this Rock Band thing has made cool again! If not for that the teens would say, "Oh that old song. YUK!" But instead "my music" is on their good music list.


Amazingly A. even managed to get some reading time in, and Cali the cat and Jewel the bird looked on as the noise continued. Notice the covers on the furniture which were still trying to come off and have potential pop spill area revealed.

Throughout the night they ate and ate and ate. This goes along with teens and noise. I think teens have a missing switch which tells a brain and stomach "you are full". They went through 3 bags of pizza rolls, most of a 12 pack of pop, chips and salsa, snack mix, chips and a box of cream puffs. So good that the kids always show up with food to share. They have smart moms!! Actually they brought more food than that, and they would have easily eaten it all if it had just been put in front of them! It will be saved for some party to come soon at whichever house they gather. There are plenty of gatherings when food makes things more fun.

N. came home from a day at Scout camp and was thrilled the whole gang was there and stuff was in full swing.  N. loves to hang out with the teens --and what 9 year old little brother wouldn't? Luckily the teens happily allow him to hang out with them. No problem.

After Rock Band time was done it was time to bring out the karaoke machine and everyone got super silly!! And did I mention the noise level? Loud!

Friends hamming it up with the microphone.

Once again, a modern invention makes the old songs from my time seem cool!

It cracks me up when the teens think a song is new when it is used in a current movie or is done by a new artist as a remake. I always have to be a lame parent and say, "Hey that is actually from the 1970s and I was in (fill in the blank) grade in school during those years, and my friends were...Blah blah blah..."

Like I said- lame parent.

The singing continued until about 10:00 and then they settled in for some movie time.

And more food.

The gang all left about midnight and I sent the leftover and unopened food and pop back home with them, along with their imported entertainment devices (karaoke and Rock Band). I love that they have so much fun, and how lucky am I that all I have to provide is the home (with covered furniture) and the electricity (for all the loudness)!!

I hope they come back again next weekend. 

a new favorite thing to watch

Even if you do not watch or like this show please read the post because it has some history lessons included.

No foolin'!!

My friend Julie has got me hooked! She told me I needed to watch the DVDs of Mad M-n. She knew I loved the "swell" housewifey kitsch of the late 1950's and early 1960's and the fashions of that era as well. She was over the top kind and gave our family a gift subscription to that DVD thing called Ne---ix (you know the one I'm talking about) so I would be assured to order the 1st two seasons and get started watching. And watch I have done!!! The show holds my anticipation and interest with so many factors.

As a little girl, more specifically ever since I saw Darren Stevens (I prefer the FIRST Darren, myself) and Larry Tate on Bewitched, I thought that print advertising was a fascinating concept/subject/career. Maybe that is why I love to gather and sell print ads in my shops. Here and here. The old ones hold such nostalgia for me. Which reminds me, I have many more from the 1950's to list. Big ones from Life magazines.

Anyway, aren't Darren and Larry just a prototype for Roger and Don?

See if you agree...

Larry: white hair, older man, outspoken

Darren: dark hair, younger man, deep dark eyes, a thinker with a secret to hide (he is afraid people will find out his wife is a witch)

Roger: white hair, older man, outspoken

Don: dark hair, younger man, deep dark eyes, a thinker with a secret to hide (he is afraid people will find out about his past) * Shame on you! You thought I was going to say his wife was a witch or maybe that other word that is spelled the same but begins with a b. We'll get to Betty in a minute.

You have to admit the parallels are many. How about the drinking and smoking at the office? Or the "hired as eye candy" secretaries? The only difference is that it is Peggy coming up with the last minute, save the men's butts, "in a pinch" slogans instead of Samantha!

If you watch the special features on the DVD's (which is another reason DVDs are so great) you will see stuff that is actually educational. No kidding!

On one it told and showed the history of both suburban architecture and furniture trends in the mid century in relation to how the authentic sets were created for the show.

In another it was about clothing fashions and hairstyles of the era and how Betty was made to look Grace Kelly like. It also said how it was important for the actresses on the show to wear authentic undergarments from that time period as it made them carry themselves and act like early 1960's women!! Did you know that all business men wore hats as a staple garment; as standard as their grey flannel suit with skinny tie? That is, until president Kennedy stood up to give his inaugural speech and left his hat on his chair behind him. That is focused on as a turning point when men as a society stopped wearing hats and hat sales for men declined (although pill box hat sales for women increased.)

Still another talked about how when men came back from the war and were going to college on the GI Bill, women were made to feel they should leave college to give their seat in class to the men, and get out of the work force also for the men's sake. That's when advertising and the general opinion of society made women feel like they should be happy being domestic and embrace their role as wife and mother, and take pride in their Frigidaire and matching place settings on the ironed linen table cloth as the sun streams in through their spotless windows. Ever notice how the advertising from that era for anything household includes a very dressed up lady with a big smile on her face? Honestly, how many of you dress up in a girdle and full skirt with cinched in waist, heels and pearls to mop your floors or clean the toilet?!!!

Now on to Betty. I love to look at the clothing. I studied fashion history and textile history. I worked for 13 years in fashion retail. I had my own sewing business for many years after that. I am fascinated by all things fabric. Here's a secret about me= I have never used a pattern to sew anything. Nope. Not me. They frustrate me. I can figure out how to make most things by using a tape measure and my imagination. Maybe that's why I really love to study the images on old pattern envelopes. That's how I did my custom order dress business. Honest!

Don't you just love this polka dotty dress with the sashes? I made my wedding dress and my bride's maids dresses, a baptism gown which both my girls wore, and first communion dresses for each of my girls here and here (yes, without patterns). My bride's maids wore wide sashes of a deep wine colored satin.

Ok ok, but back to Mad Men and all things mid century. I am enjoying this time watching the shows. I have one more disc left to watch of season 2 and then I have to wait until the season 3 discs are available to be sent. Darn!

In the meantime, here is an image from my pattern envelope ephemera stash for you to use for your art--in honor of Betty's polka dotty dress! Enjoy!!

a stitch in time

[Here's my favorite nun movie!!! ]

When I was about 12 I was sure I was being called to be a nun. It was not to be. I changed my mind about a week later. I often think back to that time and the circumstances that gave me that feeling.



My great aunt on my dad's side of the family was a beautiful and smart young lady in the first part of the 20th century. I know she was beautiful because of photos I have seen many times of her as a girl and as a young woman. There she was, smiling for the camera, an older sibling of my grandmother. I know she was smart because our family genealogy record includes her college degrees and teaching certification and the list of schools where she taught many ages of children, finally settling in to teach high school students.


She began her own school journey in a one room school house as a little girl and she was to return to a one room school house as a teacher. An old newspaper clipping from a small town in Ohio told me this: The one room school house had many teachers that came to mold the young students' minds but most seemed to leave, many not willing to last a harsh winter season. My great aunt left too but not for the same reason as the rest. She left to take holy orders and enter into the convent. Once when she told the Mother Superior that the farthest West she had ever been was a small town in Ohio named Wapakoneta, she soon after found herself being assigned to a school in Arizona! She would continue her teaching, sharing her knowledge and love of learning with high school students, for many years into her own old age.


As an old woman, she was back in Southern Ohio and when I was 12 we made the drive to see her. I remember being so taken in by it all. The beauty of the church and convent buildings. The huge magical booming echo of the organ music and all the nuns singing familiar hymns. The simple, non materialistic lifestyle of the nuns. She seemed so absolutely happy and fulfilled. I was sure it was the plan for me. I recall my mom wondering what all my hundreds of questions were for on the ride back home to Northern Ohio that weekend.



The infatuation feeling quickly passed. I was to continue my life, observing the many priests and nuns I encountered so often in my Catholic upbringing, with a feeling of quizzical admiration for the people that felt so absolutely sure of the calling. My great aunt's brother also answered the call of the church and became a priest. Ironically (or maybe not so ironically) my aunt-in-law was also a nun. You know those good Catholic families usually have some nuns and priests tucked into the family tree somewhere along the line !



I reread the newspaper article (celebrating her Silver Jubilee) and this time I found a new detail that I had overlooked before. It said that throughout her life she did beautiful embroidery work and was happy with her needlework in her lap when she had the opportunity. Her work was admired for its lovely stitches. Of all the images of her before the convent and after, I think I like that image that I hold in my mind the best. She died at age 85 at the time I was a teenager. She had a long life filled with her calling, teaching, and embroidery!

Flash Back- Christmas record albums

Just like giving up chocolate for Lent, we (me) are sacrificing classic rock and roll on the radio for the station that plays all Christmas tunes, all day, all night, all calendar days from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Not that I mind it. It also makes you appreciate a good hard Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix guitar solo that much more once the holidays are over!!

( Captain Kangaroo- torn but still loved)

We all have our favorites on the radio too.

N. lights up like a Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation decorated house when he hears: I want a hippopotamus for Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock and Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time.

(Disney- always stands the test of the generations)

A. has twinkles in her eyes like a Balsam Fir loaded with white faerie lights when she hears Carol of the Bells- the version that goes really fast.

E. jingles with enthusiasm like the bells on a Victorian sleigh when she hears anything by Mannheim Steamroller.

(The 1950's idyllic family- did you have one?)

Now for me, there are too many to mention. Let's just say I like the old classics, the old voices we grew up on, the old stand-bys just like the Christmas decorations I came to expect to come out of the boxes from the attic each year, so too were the songs...old friends...a sense of comfort and security. We could all use a little sense of security this troubled economic Christmas, can't we.

I do feel all warm, like a down filled flannel comforter, inside when I hear Santa Baby, Baby It's Cold Outside and anything from Burl Ives or Bing Crosby or Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole....

(Crickets?- everyone gets into the act for Christmas songs)

We have the radio on every day for hours. If it is not on, then one of the kids will go turn it on. I like the radio better than TV anyway because you are not tethered to it like having to watch a TV screen. You are free to do Christmas crafts like making paper chains or stringing popcorn or less fun things like dishes and laundry (sorry to snap you back into reality during this utopia of Christmas memories past!).

(early 1960s- Christmas without so much technology was less stressful)

Christmas past...

Jell-O molds with all sorts of (sometimes questionable things) inside.

[ Don't you love the cat food in the Jell-O mold Aunt Bethany brought in Christmas Vacation?!]

Erector Sets and Chatty Cathy dolls wrapped under the tree.

Mom in a girdle and Dad in a skinny tie.

Brothers all in matching dorky dress shirts. A little girl in a cork screw curled do-the result of sleeping with hair in pink sponge curlers- and patent leather shoes.

( These are my own very personal Christmas past memories).

(Sesame Street- good safe fun to trust in any season)

I am a connoisseur of old Christmas album art and not just Christmas--all vintage record albums.

These I have shown are in my collection. There is something magical about the colors and settings of most older record album covers. Modern CD cover art can't compare, in my opinion.

I am planing a really unique project incorporating all my vintage Christmas record album covers. These shown are just a few of them.

( Gene Autry- need I say more?)

( Bing Crosby- sweet faced, innocent- surely on the "good" list- children)

This Bing Crosby record reminds me...

We were going somewhere in the car (I as much as live in my car when toting the kids around to all their activities), and yes we were also listening in the car to the above mentioned radio all Christmas, all the time station. N. asked me if I had turned up the bass on the car stereo (as I sometimes do when a good Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix guitar solo comes on). I replied no and laughed so hard it hurt as I explained to him that it was only Bing Crosby's voice that sounded like that!!!!!! Gotta love the ol' Bing!!!

opposite seasons

Gone for another 5 or 6 months are the days of barbeque parties here in Ohio. We have snow officially stuck on the ground today and not melting away. I know there are plenty of places in the world where you can dress in shorts for Christmas time but northernmost Ohio is not that place.



So now we look forward to the holiday shopping season when nearly every corner has a live Christmas tree lot, it seems. Don't you just love the scene in A Christmas Story when they go to the Christmas tree lot? And how about the flat tire incident on their way home?! Or plugging in the tree lights?!! Don't get me started on all my favorite parts of that movie, we could be here all day and your laundry wouldn't get done. We watch that movie over and over here at our house each December. When you read about it here, scroll down and read the section titled Dating The Story for some interesting trivia and movie goofs.




Have fun with these vintage images (unknown people) from my personal ephemera collection. You can use them freely as you wish. And remember, when you go see Santa don't tell him you want a football (like the above mentioned movie), tell him what you really want!

old movies

We recently watched this movie again. I think Audrey Hepburn movies are fun. And have you ever seen a smaller waistline than hers?


That dress is really something too. I found myself studying it for the first time even though I have seen the movie several times over. It is very striking and makes your eyes want to follow the unusual dress pattern with it's bold, crisp design.
I wonder if the dress was stuck in my subconscious when, just days later, I chose this piece of scrapbook paper to use for a background when I listed this item in my shop? Kind of similar in the black swirling effect against the white , don't you think?


Then we watched this movie over again too, last weekend.
My kids like watching old movies.
We had popcorn and a fire in the fireplace. Days like that are fun!

memory flash back- candy

I have to take a road trip with the kids to this place!!! I have been thinking of all my old favorite candies from my younger years. Back when the commercial for a certain brand of tooth paste said, "Look Mom! No cavities!!" I must have done a lot of brushing because I did not have rotten teeth but I sure ate my share [and maybe the share of 2 or 3 other kids] of candy back in the late 60s and early 70s. Back when Candy was King....at least in my opinion!

I have been pondering the fact that when we (my neighborhood friends and I) were little, we loved politically incorrect candy! We ate candy cigarettes and chewed bubble gum cigars and none of us became teenage smokers. I have never been a smoker, for that matter. My friends and I survived our Baby Boomer upbringing in spite of all the [now] incorrect things we endured...

But, back to the candy... I just bought some Black Jack candies the other day and let me tell you, they give off a great licorice scent each time I walk by the candy dish. It takes me back to the days of the penny candy counter. You can read a previous post I wrote about my memories of that by clicking here.

A and I watched the movie The Right Stuff a month or so ago because she is a big, big space fan! They talked a lot about Beeman's chewing gum in that movie. That's another candy/gum that gives you good memories just from the scent. By the way, I recommend you watch that movie (for the first time or again) for some flash back moments too.

I will let you know what we come up with at this retro candy store when we make the trip. A trip down memory lane for me, to be sure!!

What were your favorite candy picks when your age was still in the single digits?