May Day

Lovely weather, even Nico and Fang posed for me.
I just put in the Variegated Siberian Bugloss, very happy with it and I think I'll pick another one from the nursery next week.
This year we are trying going our veggies in containers to see how that works for us. In hindsight the choice not to go with raised beds was a mistake, but now we can't afford to do it, so hopefully the containers will allow us to grow veggies without having to deal with, what my husband calls, the "cursed earth" we have. I'll save the old veggie garden for sunflowers, zinnias, onions and garlic.
The honeysuckle is just beginning to bloom, this weekend the place will smell wonderful.

Shop Like An Heiress

Dior Cocktail Dress, ca 1950

The Newport Restoration Foundation which was founded by Doris Duke has just opened an exhibit of a portion of her extensive couture collection.

"Shop Like an Heiress: Buying Fashion in the 20th Century is a celebration of fashion and shopping through the experience of Doris Duke. Miss Duke's closet represents a wide selection of international designers and shopping destinations. The exhibit explores how she shopped for her wardrobe from French couture houses to American department stores in search of stylish, chic clothes that established her as one of the best dressed in society."

If you are a vintage clothing lover and happen to be close to Newport, RI between now and Nov. this exhibit would be worth a nice day trip.

Boston Globe article on the exhibit.

"You cannot hate people for their own good."

I love Kate Harding.
If you have never read her fat acceptance manifesto you should.
Just a few choice quotes:

"7. Human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Fat people are human beings.

8. Even fat people who are unhealthy still deserve dignity and respect. Still human beings. See how that works?

9. In any case, shaming teh fatties for being “unhealthy” doesn’t fucking help. If shame made people thin, there wouldn’t be a fat person in this country, trust me. I wish I could remember who said this, ’cause it’s one of my favorite quotes of all time: “You cannot hate people for their own good.”

Jezebel reminded me how much a dig this chick.

Vintage McCall's Style News, May 1953 #1

New vintage pattern book, McCall's May, 1953.
My plan is to scan the pattern books, catalogs and flyers that I have collected in the next couple of months. Part of the reason to do this is to have a way to archive these in case they get left laying around and, let's say a cat, not naming any names here (Cheif) decides to lounge around on the fragile paper, putting his their claws into said pattern book periodically.
Bad kitty.

and Nancy, of course you can snag these.....anyone else, you all can use them of course (I would never watermark an image that I did not create, I didn't produce these, just own the books and am scanning them. Yes I have issues.) just credit back to me.

Vintage Butterick Fashion News 1949 #4

Pages 10 & 11 and the back cover.
I've put all the pages here, on my website.

Butterick Fashion News 1949 #4

Pages 8 & 9

What's For Dinner This Week

Let's see.
Tonight is Roasted Chicken with potatoes and carrots. You brine the chicken cut out the backbone and lay it flat, stick herbed butter under the skin and cook it all on 450. The skin gets nice and crispy.

Monday: Fettucini Alfredo with Italian Sasauge
Tuesday: BBQ and Hot Wings with Macaroni & Cheese
Wed: Burritos (I've got fresh cilantro growing on the deck now so that will make these even better.)
Thursday: Pizza with salad

Not Quite Nigella has forever linked Mac & Cheese with bacon for me. Not good, but oh so awesome.

Besides the Cilantro I put Texas Tarragon and Sweet Basil in a window box on the deck. I have room for one more herb, but I can't decide between Rosemary or sage. Probably Rosemary, I think I would use it more.

Butterick Fashion News 1949 #3

Pages 5, 6 and 7.

Haunted

Oh, I forgot how much I love this song.
I just like the way MacGowan writes a lyric.



Sinead O'Connor & Shane MacGowan

Butterick Fashion News 1949 #2

Pages 3 and 4

Butterick Fashion News 1949

Click on the pictures to read the text.

Praise Jebus

Hilarious and creepy all at the same time.
And when I say creepy I mean it in the "that poor child is being exploited" kinda way and not in the "oh look it is Glenn Beck's mini me" way.

Gather Ye Roses....

Just a quick post.
I am out in the garden this week.
Planting seeds I got from Millington Seed Company, moving a couple of things that do not seem to be happy where they are and planting the 2 roses I got from Jackson and Perkins the other day.

They are Zephirine Drouhin Antique Climbing Rose and

Heaven on Earth Floribunda Rose.

I love roses, but don't seem to have much luck at this house with them.

Because Only the Beautiful Need Apply

As if someone who does not live up to our notions of attractiveness could not have an amazing voice. Boyle wowed them on Britain's Got Talent (their version of American Idol) and you have got to hear her sing.
Go here to see the video (Simon seems to not like his show to be embedded).

Susan Boyle stuffing Simon's preconceived notions down his pie hole.
Priceless.

Estate Sale Finds

Went to a fun estate sale today.
Kinda broke so I passed up a lot of good stuff.
I did get a few vintage dresses, some earrings, another Pyrex measuring cup (who know what happened to the one I had?) and some more forks and spoons of the Interpur Danish Modern silverware I use.




Plus this exceedingly cool vintage Mid Century Modern turquoise vinyl and teak (?) chair. It was in the garage, $5 and filthy.
I love it!

It's Supposed to Taste Like a S#@T Taco

Losing that is.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Baracknophobia - Obey
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

"I think you're confusing tyranny with losing.....
Now you are in the minority, it is supposed to taste like a shit taco."

Artistic Licence

Most fashion is never really new, just they way the designer re-imagines the designs. Of course that is not to say that sometimes something comes down the run-way that is totally and completely original.
It just does not happen that often.
Pam over on Glamoursplash pointed out that Yigal Azrouël added a new swimwear line to this 2009 collection. Nice, except they are pretty much copies of vintage bathing suits designed by Claire McCardell and Rudi Gernreich.
They were innovative the first time around, now, not so much.

Sorry, This is Just Fucking Creepy

So for $79 you can look like your baby is breaking out of your chest ala Alien.
Jesus folks, have a bit of dignity.

The View From My Window

Last of the lilacs.

Quilts Gone Wild

Via Jezebel

So Jo Ann Fabric stores are refusing to stock this months Ouilter's Home magazine because there are some "controversial" quilts in the "quilts gone wild" issue.
Seems the folks at Jo Ann's think they know better then their ADULT customers what they can and cannot handle. This after the guy who publishes said magazine went to all the trouble to have the shocking issue shrink warped.

Jesus quilts, quilts about racism...shocking stuff.
One of the quilts has penises on it.


Yes, little tiny penises on fabric.
I am shocked, shocked I say at how disappointed I am that there are no huge quited blue penises on that quilt.

Bonnie Cashin and Coach

Coach has a new line of bags inspired by Bonnie Cashin.
While they are cute, and dude they are seriously cute in some awesome colors, for the same amount of money (or less) you can buy a great vintage Cashin bag.
Like here and here and here or this great red Cashin at Dorothea's Closet.

Skylark

We all know that Ceil Chapman designed dresses that loved the female form, but did you also know that there was a line of her designs that are part of Spadea Patterns American Designer series?
The above pattern is an example of Chapman's "skylark" silhouette, which she used in more then one collection and in several fabrics as well.
The shoulder baring collar drapes over the bust and stands up in the back while the slim fitting skirt echos the draping across the hip area. Two full skirt panels are attached over the slim skirt and are designed to bring to mind the movement of a bird in flight.

This pattern is available for purchase at Sew-Retro Vintage Patterns here.

Crazy Drama

Courtney Love is being sued by a designer who made some custom garments for Love (made from vintage and trims owned by Love) but claims Love never paid for them (allegedly) and then went on to try and ruin the gals reputation via Twitter and, I guess, MySpace.....that is not alleged since Courtney did that pretty publicly.

I actually have no opinion of either gal except that the drah-ma displayed in the lawsuit filing is delish.

Jebus, that is some crazy shit.
"oi vey dont fuck with my wradrobe or you willend up in a circle of corched eaeth hunted til your dead"

I don't know either of these folks, they might both be nuts or nice gals, but this does make for some fun reading when I should be working.
The only thing that would have made it better is if Love wrote everything in LOLspeech:

"oi vey doan fuck wif mah wradrobe or youz will end up in a circle of scorched earth hunted til ur dead"

Wicked Twilight

I finished Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West the other night and I can't remember when I have been so pleasantly surprised by a book as I was by Wicked.
The novel is a re-imagining of the story of OZ Gregory Maguire from the point of view of Elphaba, the witch we all remember from Wizard of OZ.
It really was a hell of a good read and once I started reading it it was hard to put down.
I've never been every good at explaining why I do or do not like a book, I just know when I do and I really loved this book and the discussion it raises on the nature of good and evil.
I am beginning a re-read tonight and am adding the next book Son of a Witch to my queue on Paperspine.

I would love to see this as a movie, not as the musical, just a screenplay based on the book. I would probably enjoy it.
And not in the way I enjoyed the movie Twilight.

We watched Twilight last night and lordy it sucked...but sucked in that awesome way that makes you laugh and enjoy the film in spite of yourself.

Sad

I was all excited about President Obama's Internet Townhall today until I read Twitter and found out that Alabamapink had passed away.
Amanda was someone I did not know IRL, we did not even have an on-line "relationship", but I felt like I knew her because I have read her comments on Pajiba for a few years now and was following her treatment for leukemia on her blog.
She faced her diagnosis and treatments with a fierce determination, strength and humor I admired....in many ways she reminded me of my friend Peggy who also died of cancer at such a young age.
Such brave women.
They are my heroes.

(And may I say that it is with no small amount of anger that I note the number of asshats like Dick Chaney/Karl Rove/Roger Ayles/Glen Beck who are still alive while she is gone.)

Amanda is survived by her husband and 3 year old son, family and friends and a whole on-line community that will not soon forget her.

Requiescat in Pace




I will also note that once again the President has made the weed lovers sad by saying he will not be legalizing pot as a way to help the economy. He also inferred that those of us who voted the question up might be high.
Ya think?
What about industrial hemp though?

So Say We All

Awesome.
Frakkin' awesome.

Cazy Hats

Some people are too talented and they make the rest of us look like losers.
Take Angie who owns Dorothea's Closet.
Such lovely, lovely vintage...oh, and she makes hats too.

Show off.

Both of these crazy awesome hats are available at Sugarlids.

Just a Reminder

"Have you noticed that their stuff is shit and your shit is stuff?"
Carlin

Yep, 2% of the spending bill is wasteful earmark shit....except for my stuff.

*Yes, Jon Stewart is awesome.