Now Your Dog Shall Kill You

Way to make your dog hate you.
Woe unto man when the cat Snuggie comes out.
Our feline overlords will rise up and finally deliver the cosmic smackdown we have been asking for.

I Hope I Have Parathyroid Disease

Went to my Doctor the other day and while I was there I mentioned the blood tests he did last year that he had wanted me to come back and retake that I blew off because the gal who called said he was worried that my cholesterol count was high and I was all like "of course it was, I had a meatloaf sandwich before I went in".
One year later he is like "no, I was worried because your CALCIUM level was high in the blood test, your cholesterol is fine".

Oh.
OK.
So we redid the blood test and HE called me this morning to tell me that he was making an appointment for a nuclear thing to see if I have Parathyroid Disease. It involves the parathyroids (who knew we had these? raise your hand) and a tumor.
Not cancer...he kept telling me not to worry about cancer.
Once they know for sure they will go in and remove the parathyroid in what seem to be a pretty easy and fast procedure.

I hope I have this.
Why?
Because the symptoms read like a who's who of what has been fucking wrong with me for years :

• Confusion, foggy thinking
• Muscle cramps. A tingling sensation in the hands and feet.
• Loss of energy, always tired
• Trouble sleeping, waking up at night.
• Feeling bad, but not able to say the reason
• Loss of interest in activities, inability to concentrate
• Changes in personality, more irritable or cranky
• Bone pain, especially in the legs
• Heartburn (GERD)
• Decreased sex drive
• Frequent headaches
• Thinning hair
• Heart palpitations (arrhythmias), high blood pressure
• Depression

The last month I've gotten worse and it would be so wonderful to feel normal again and not like some tired crazy bitch who wants to sleep all day and/or fight with my husband and son.
(of course I could just be going though menopause)

Engagement Session

Due to an unfortunate follow on twitter of vintageglam I went to Vintage Glam Weddings (a pretty, but massive time waster if there ever was one, I got sucked in looking at all the pretty, pretty vintage inspired weddings and spent like an hour there) which caused me to find out that in the wedding photography biz there is now something called the "Engagement Session".

These seem to involve the future bridge and groom being photographed looking at each other lovingly or kissing or laughing or looking seriously into the future whilst in picturesque settings.
I think I hate these, not because I have a problem with pretty people having their picture taken in cool places looking awesome in their vintage, but because of the damn name.
"Engagement Session" goes though me the way "space" does when you are talking about a room. In your house.
"Oh that couch fills the space nicely"
Ugh.
and Ugh.

Oh and croquet balls and mallets seem to be a running theme in the wedding pictures.
Maybe to throw at your beloved after the wedding when you catch him drunk kissing that HOR! Renee?

I like my wedding pictures full of people who look like they are scared to fucking death, not looking happily to the future.

BTW, I have 40 MINIONS/FOLLOWERS ya'll!!!!
What is the matter with you people?

Latest (and maybe greatest) Vintage Lampshade

I have been shopping for a cheap Venetian blind lampshade, but they always include a lamp (got enough of those) OR they are too expensive. A few weeks ago on ebay I spied not your traditional Venetian Shade, but a circular shade of copper and cream.
Yes, I needed that.
No one else seemed to notice it and I paid $9 something for it.

Sweet!

Included is a picture of the Wall O' Vintage Clocks so you can see how the light hits. I have a new clock ($11 on eBay) on the way to add to the collection and I'll get a picture up when it arrives.

Fresh From The Garden

Weekend Bonus Sale at Damn Good Vintage

Each week Mainstreet Mall sellers feature one item from their shops at a saving of 40-50% off their original price.
The sale runs 9am Sat to 9pm Sunday, central time.
Check back each Friday for a new thread with great deals for Mainstreet Mall Online!

Here are the 2 items I have on sale this weekend from Damn Good Vintage and Sew-Retro Patterns.

Vintage 80's Gunne Sax Sexy Hourglass Wiggle Pinup Prom Dress w/ Huge Polka Dot Sleeves
On Sale for $50

Vintage 50s Pattern Scallop Neckline Drop Waist Dress with Deep Pleats
On sale for $10

Oh MY

Bill Nighy is going to be in Deathly Hallows.
Bill Nighy.
Harry Potter.
My crazy wishes have now come true.

Christmas Score

Last Christmas I decided I needed a very specific vintage tablecloth for Christmas, but I am really, really cheap so I could not buy one when they would show up on eBay because the bidding normally went over $60.
Did I mention I was cheap?
Patience is normally not a virtue I excel in, but I have been waiting since Spring for one to show up at a price I was willing to pay.


At a price I was willing to pay.

Aqua and red and mini Santas who look like they might have been taking in a bit too much of the Christmas "cheer" (winkwinknudgenudge) with atomic stars and did I mention that it is fun?
I also found the other tablecloth I wanted, the one with the hanging shineybrite ornaments, and it should be here in a few days.
Vintage 50's creepy Santa head in a star for the top of the tree was another purchase, but I have put it up so you can't see a picture of it.
Don't be sad.
It is just as well since, seriously, it is one creepy!ass Santa head in a star.

New Vintage Kitchen Chair

So I went to an estate sale ("Mom never thew anything away!") today that I should have gone too yesterday and of course Mapquest fucked up the directions so I was driving all over fucking Sherwood, AR trying to find it and just happened upon it by chance in a place not at all where Mapquest said it should be.
They had one table of Mom's stuff left.
"Should have been here yesterday" said the dude "It all went fast, we priced it to get it out of here".

Grrrrr.
My bad.

So I was annoyed and had money in my pocket.
I went by Galaxy Furniture in North Little Rock to bitch at my friend Tracey about my sucky day and ended up having a portabella mushroom burger from the restaurant next door (starts with an R, name is on the tip of my tongue) and buying this awesome chair and hearing about her new couch she got out of a dumpster.


Also, Sunkist has "Sparkling" Lemonade that taste pretty damn good with Cranberry Vodka in it.
Also, I think my friend Lisa's birthday was today....HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!

Vintage Ossie Clark

Emma Watson at the HARRY POTTER premiere in London wearing vintage Ossie Clark.
She looks great even if she did get rained on.
(and really this post just gives me a reason to say there is less then a WEEK LEFT till Half Blood Prince opes. squee)

I Can Haz Souls?

Basement Cat.
He wants your soul.

4th Food

BBQ Chicken Breast, Baked Potato Salad and Fresh Cantaloupe

Brined the chicken in apple cider vinegar, hot sauce and salt for about an hour, 30 min on our crappy ass grill (remember kids, when you buy a $99 gas grill...you get a $99 gas grill) to get some smoky flavor. Cover with sauce and put into the oven for another 20ish min and it comes out tender and smoky and BBQ-y.

Bake some potatoes, cut up with skin on then mix with bacon, a tad mayo, a tad miracle whip, sour cream, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, cheddar and melted butter. Taste better at room temp.

Awesome local cantaloupe.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

So this time I just bought a pre-made graham cracker crust instead of making my own and it still was yummy. Make 2 packages of lemon pudding according to the directions for pie on the packages (do not use instant, it sucks) substituting some of the water (YMMV) with the juice of 2 lemons. Put in fridge, then slather with whip cream.
We also had a bit of raspberry jello and I put that on my slice of pie and it was super yummy, tart and sweet.
Next time I'll use one package of lemon and do that as a layer, then add a layer of raspberry jello with a topping of whip cream.

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Menu:
BBQ Chicken Breasts
Baked Potato Salad
Salad with Fresh Tomatoes from the Garden
Lemon Ice Box Pie

TFS and Halston

Last week The Fashion Show (and really, I'm not sure why I am still watching this show) challege was reinterpreting vintage looks of a well-known designer.
So we had Dior, Madame Gres, YSL, ect. and Halston.

The problem?
Not all of the designers knew who they were reinterpreting.
I'm kinda of amazed one could be interested in fashion without knowing about the designers who have left such indelible marks on fashion.
Whatever though.
What annoyed me about the show is all the information THF provided was one vintage dress from each designer from which our contestants, who might not have a working knowledge of say, Madame Gres, was supposed to "get" the look and feel of someones body of work.
Have these people never heard of a look book.
Would it have been so hard to put together one on each vintage designer?

So Haven, while she seemed to know 70's/80's YSL would have done better to pick YSL's Mondrian look or maybe the Trapeze Line he introduced at Dior in 58', went home with a hot mess that really had nothing to do with YSL. There was a spectacular crash and burn for Rico who was unaware of Halston. I really felt sorry for him and thought the judges were really condescending...the same way they were when Angel had to design for a grown-up B-Girl.
B-Girl?
What the fuck is a B-Girl?

Vintage Halston Pattern from Sew-Retro

I have lots of problems with this show, but I think the worst part is that the challenges do not seem to be well thought out.
Look Books....they are your contestants friends.
You can keep up with The Fashion Show over with the Tom and Lorenzo the ProjectRungay guys.

Happy Father's Day

That's my dad.
Stand up guy, lots of fun and a bit nuts.
An "old dude" conservative at times, loyal union member and a Democrat though and though.
I love him.

A Mid-Century Housewife’s Life

I just added No Pattern Required over to the blog roll.
Great blog about mid-century furnishings, homes and such.
Plus she once a week she takes a recipe out of those 50s/60's recipe booklets like None Such Mince Meat Recipes and Good Housekeeping’s Meat Cook Book which included the canned meat section.
Yes, spam. Baked spam with peaches.
She not only is brave enough to cook that stuff...they eat it and let us know if the food was as disgusting as we imagine it to be.

She's a better woman then I.

Weekend Bonus Sale at Damn Good Vintage

The weekends just got better!
Each Saturday and Sunday one item from Damn Good Vintage
and Sew-Reto for JUST Saturday and Sunday will be priced 50% off.
Just call it your weekend bonus.



This week's bonus is a wonderful Adele Simpson suit and matching top.
The story on the runways is color and royal blue is a great color to take you though the summer.
Like most of Adele Simpson's 40's, 50's and early 60's designs this one will take you from work to cocktails with ease.
Silk and cotton mix and an adorable daisy print sleeveless wrap top.
Originally $125
Sat/Sun price $62.50





Great 1930's lounger/pajama set.
Wide leg pants paired with chic top and vest.
Originally $45.00, this weekend only $22.50.

Both of these great prices will be available from 9am Saturday to 9pm Sunday.
First come, first served.
Thank you for being wonderful customers.

Public Option

Folks if you want there to be a public option in the health care reform being worked on in Congress you need to start contacting you Congress Critters.
The direct line to leave a comment for the President is 1-202-456-1111

Here is the list of toll-free phone numbers to the congressional switchboard. An operator will connect you to the official of your choice:

1-800-828-0498

1-866-338-1015

1-866-220-0044

1-877-851-6437

If our Representatives in Washington only hear from the folks paid by the insurance companies to call in opposition to the public option then we will get health care reform that your insurance company wants, not the reform that is right for the American public.

Remember, your insurance company LIKES things the way they are. They like being able to refuse insurance to folks with a pre-existing condition, they LIKE being able to ration your health care, they want stand between you and your Doctor and the would really prefer to continue canceling medical coverage for some sick policyholders. (yes they actually admitted that during a Congressional hearing...bastards)

Here is a copy of the email I sent to my Senators and Rep. feel free to steal it:

Dear asshole Senator

I would like some answers to your views on including a public option (NOT single payer) in the health care reform.

There is no true health care reform without a public option. The "line in the sand" for me is a strong public option that would keep insurance companies honest and provide true competition. I would like to know where you stand in regard to the following questions:

Do you support a public health care option as part of health care reform?

If so, do you support a public health care option that is available on day one?

Do you support a public health care option that is national, available everywhere, and accountable to our government?

Do you support a public health care option that has the clout to establish rates with providers and big drug companies?

You do know that in the latest WSJ/NBC poll over 70% of AMERICANS (not health insurance company executives) want there to be a public option included in health care reform. You do know that "executives of three of the nation's largest health insurers told federal lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday that they would continue canceling medical coverage for some sick policyholders". Wow and we are supposed to think that they can be trusted?

As a constituent, I would really like to know the answers to these questions and I ask that you please respond to these questions in writing via email. please do not send me a canned answer, I would really like your (not a staffers) answers.

Thank you for your time, I will be happy to return the favor at election time for those supporting a strong public option.

Monthly Giveway

I notice that some of you are giving shit away.
That is an awesome idea, because I have a ton of fun stuff sitting around that I don't use, don't need and can't be arsed to sell.
So once a month I'm gonna giveaway some of this really uber!awesome stuff sitting around here.
Sometimes it will be vintage, sometimes fashion related, but always so sweet.

Rules are:
Let me know you want it in the comments
Open to US readers only...unless you want to pay shipping to another country

That's it.

So this month I've got this cute cotton duck tote that I bought a couple of years ago, planned to use and well, never did.


Perfect for the summer.
It is 11X12 and 3 inches wide at the bottom.
Let me know in the comments if it strikes your fancy!
I'll grab a name next Friday, June 26th.

Celebs in Vintage

Ashley Olsen wore a vintage 40's gown to the
2009 CFDA Fashion Awards.
Adrian maybe?
(EDIT: The guys over on Project Rungay have commented
that it may be a "vintage inspired" design from
Ashley's on line The Row. )

That is a whole lotta dress for such a small woman.

And look at how awesome Tracey Ullman,
the host of the CFDA,
looks in a vintage Clarie McCardell
she purchased from Dorothea's Closet.


If you go to Ang's blog you can see a picture of
the dress before it was sold.