Pattern Of The Week

Delish!
Vintage Vogue 1930's Couturier Pattern on eBay.
What a dress:

Vintage Leather by Bonnie Cashin

Video from a 1956 fashion newsreel via Gallenmovies on YouTube.
Designed by Bonne Cashin for Phillip Sills.

Stains the Dramatic Cupcake Dog

This maybe the funniest thing ever.
We watched it the other night on The Soup*:




*BTW, The Soup's evil overlords suck. They have a "channel" on YouTube, but do not allow embedding. So if you want to see the whole clip you need to go here.

So Say We All

LOST

Here be spoilers...



Flaming arrows?
Didn't they shoot "the others" with flaming arrows at some point (FTW, The Boy got it right that the dude in the red shirt would die...he was the "red shirt" guy as in Star Trek where the red shirt person on an away mission is always the one who dies, poor bastards) and what if the whispers they have heard on the island are actually themselves bunny hopping though time?

Lots of flowing man locks last night.
Sawyer without a shirt most of the show.
mmmmmmm

Oh and I think Richard is a pirate from the Black Rock, picture him with Jack Sarrow hair....only clean.
He kinda has that sexy pirate look to him, or at least what I would want a pirate to look like if I ever met a pirate who was thinking about having his way with me instead of the ugly, pox addled smelly dudes they really were.


When will Jack die?
Die Jack die.....

Vintage On The First Lady

First Lady Michelle Obama (I LOVE writing that!) has worn any number of outfits that have a bit of a vintage vibe to them.

She also loves the brooches.
Yesterday the pin she wore at her neckline was not only striking, it was vintage.
Via Mrs. O:

It turns out the piece is a Victorian paste pin, once meant as a sash decoration. It came from Carole Tanenbaum, who offers a premiere collection of vintage costume jewelry. We love that Mrs. O would wear a historical piece on such a historical day!

At Last

Loved the dress, Michell is just a lovely woman.
Beyonce looked smashing.
Our new President did not look too shabby either.

Say AMEN!!!

President Obama *

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord..............

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.....

With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

*The haters who want our new President to fail (and thus America) like Limbaugh and Hannity and Malkin can now just slink away into their rat corners while the rest of us get on with the business of restoring this country and fixing our problems.

Closing Time

"One last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time-don't have to go home but you can't stay here."

OMG! the folks by the MSNBC booth were just singing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey goodbye." as Bush flew away in the copter.

Bond Villain

Just read on the Pajiba Inauguration Open Thread:

haha, I have to share this - from my friend's facebook status: "scary Cheney haunting the Inaguration in a wheelchair: transition to Bond villain is now complete!"

hahahahaha

Sorry, just one last jab...

Sing it Aretha

Now THAT is a hat!

Inaugural Thoughts and Pancakes

I feel giddy.
Today is special.
Pancakes seem like the proper breakfast this morning.

Looks like the Inauguration has broken Twitter for the time being, the servers are not robust.


Mrs. O looks lovely in gold (Yellow? Lime Green? Hard to tell) brocade (maybe matelasse EDIT: it is "Swiss wool lace, backed with netting for warmth and lined in French silk") by Isabel Toledo. I gotta say I love how she rocks the vintage looking shift dresses. Could the piece at her neckline be vintage? EDIT: IT IS!!!!
I'm very impressed with the color choices for her gloves, shoes and purse. Yummy contrast.


I caught my breath as Obama and Bush came out the door of the White House.

Why don't men wear hats anymore? Even the most blah Congress critter looks more interesting in a hat. Obama would look Denzel hot in a hat.

Do you wonder if Jill asked Lynn Chaney what it was like to sleep with Satan each night as they rode in the limo?

Born Again American

What We Missed

Hmmmm, for some reason HBO choose not to air Bishop Gene Robinson's invocation at the "We Are One" celebration today.
Here is the lovely prayer we missed:

"A Prayer for the Nation and Our Next President, Barack Obama
By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God’s blessing upon our nation and our next president.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN."

This Land is Your Land

Spent the afternoon taking pics and watching the beginning of the end of our national 8 year long nightmare (That would be the "We are One" concert at the Lincoln Memorial today) and I have to say that Pete Seeger made my day.

The moment he began leading the crowd in the "subversive" lyrics that Woody Guthrie penned all those years ago about true patriotism and economic justice I began to bawl.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

89 years young.

When he was blacklisted and pulled before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) Seeger was asked if he sang for Commies. His response?

Mr. SEEGER: I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion, and I am proud that I never refuse to sing to an audience, no matter what religion or color of their skin, or situation in life. I have sung in hobo jungles, and I have sung for the Rockefellers, and I am proud that I have never refused to sing for anybody. That is the only answer I can give along that line.

and

Mr. SEEGER: I decline to discuss, under compulsion, where I have sung, and who has sung my songs, and who else has sung with me, and the people I have known. I love my country very dearly, and I greatly resent this implication that some of the places that I have sung and some of the people that I have known, and some of my opinions, whether they are religious or philosophical, or I might be a vegetarian, make me any less of an American. I will tell you about my songs, but I am not interested in telling you who wrote them, and I will tell you about my songs, and I am not interested in who listened to them. . . .

You can read more HERE.
Pete Seeger is an American patriot.

Let Freedom Ring!

Seriously, if I got to frisk The Clooney, it would not be with rubber gloves on.

I'm just saying....

Barbie Couture

On Vogue.com, Barbie A Style Icon, in Dior and a number of other designer duds.

That would be the famous Dior "Bar" suit.


From the V&A-The Golden Age of Couture:

'Bar' is one of the most important designs from Dior’s first collection. The tight-fitting jacket has padded hips which emphasise the tiny waist. The long pleated wool skirt, backed with cambric, is exceptionally heavy.

Vintage Arkansas

Recently The Old State House Museum here in Little Rock, AR. received a gift of $1000 to restore the gown worn by Mabel Claire Martineau in 1927 to her husband's inauguration ball when he became Governor.


Oh my, that is one lovely vintage 20's dress.

The website for the museum has a nice timeline of all the dresses of the former First Ladies of Arkansas.

Here are a few others, one from 1933 and the other circa 1953.


The last one is Hillary Clinton's from 1979, which was the fist time Bill was elected Governor.
I mention it because it was made by a local designer, Connie Fails.
Last weekend I was over at a friend's house just going though her closet looking at the great vintage she has collected over the years and she pulled out this exquisite dress that looked like a beaded 20's wedding dress, but was a actually a reproduction made for her by Connie Fails.
Cool, huh?

Pattern of the Week

Vintage Adrian pattern.
Lovely.
"A6101. Early 50s -- likely 1951. This pattern is part of the "Patterns of the Times" series, published by the New York Times, as part of a series about the designers."
For more information, check out the listing at Vintage Fashion Library to read more about this group of Advance patterns from an insert (not for sale) included in these patterns written by Virginia Pope.

Here is my bit of shameless self promotion for Sew-Retro Patterns:


Not an Adrian, but a nice Vogue from the 1940's with an interesting neckline and a tie on peplum that provides pockets.
Clever!

Do You Know Your First Ladies?

NYT has a quiz on the inaugural ball gowns worn by former First Ladies.
I got a 10/15.

Really?

Seriously, I can't believe that no one thought to tell me that Ricky Gervais has a blog.
How much I love that wanker...even if he is raggin' on the fat folks like me (and him).

The obvious lack of irony makes me laugh.

Get That Bitch Off the Stage

After my last post we need an Anderson Cooper and Puppy break.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Road to the Doghouse - Puppedential Debate

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

If you Get a Plantar Wart Removed

Your Doctor might ask if you have had any blood work done.
If your Doctor asks if you "have had any blood work done lately" you might say "no never".
If you say "no never" he might look at you like you are crazy and order blood work.
If he orders blood work you will get a PSA.
If you get a PSA it might be high.
If it is high, you'll need to see a urologist.
If you see a urologist he might give you a prostate biopsy.
If he give you a prostate biopsy you just might find out you have prostate cancer, but only on one side and will consider yourself really fucking lucky that you had to have that plantar wart removed.

We recently found out that The Mr. has prostate cancer.

I guess I am in the acceptance phase right now since I have found that just ignoring the cancer will not make it less of a fact.
The last couple of weeks have been full of anger and sadness. Spending lots of time investigating treatments. Next week we will meet with his Dr. again to discuss what we have learned and get his recommendations.

Make sure your Mr. gets his PSA levels done so they can be compared if they begin to rise.

New Vintage Kitchen Curtain

I was pawing though a friend's loot of vintage tablecloths when I ran across this:



"Cool" said I.
"Take it" says she.
So I did.
Now, what seems like a large cotton kitchen towel, is hanging in front of my kitchen window.

Open Tabs

New Doctor, the inter-webs explode with wank, Fandom Wank has the round-up.
(kinda creepy looking, but The Doctor changes, I was hoping for Stephen Fry or maybe House would get cancelled and Hugh Laurie would go back to British TV where he belongs.)

I'm in love with Bobby Pin Blog. (speaking of vintage hairstyles, I have a new one. June Allyson (who Mr. Vintage says was hot) housewife meets Marisa Coulter....unfortunately I look like neither Allyson or Kidman.)



Well damn.
I had more but the power went out and the tabs were lost. So this is for this is it week.

BTW, ice on trees sucks.

What I Did Not Get For Christmas

So I'm back.
I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year!
Mine was homey and booze full (which means I spent it at home drinking Cranberry Vodka Cocktails and watching the Dr. Who Christmas special on Youtube with my teen because the Mr. was already in bed).

I got some cool things for Christmas...unfortunately I did not get the one thing I really needed.
A crochet poodle liquor bootle cozy with googly eyes:

(yes, the nose does make it look like the Hitler of the poodle world)

Because nothing screams "I'm a CLOSET ALKIE" louder then crochet cozies for your liquor bottles.
And no, it is not for shampoo bottles as one well meaning friend suggested....the neck is too long for one thing.

Where do I find these things you must ask?
I have a friend, who will remain nameless (you know who you are), who trolls Etsy looking for creepy/cool/awesome shit to buy and then calls me and tells me to talk her out of buying the Vintage Retro Tribal Head Vase for a pen and pencil holder.
Why would I want to do that?
Not only did I tell her to buy the set, I pointed out the Kitty Cat Planter that she should also buy and then I found the Poodle Cozy of my dreams.
This is what I do for fun.

Lame.