Life Covers The New Look, 1948

Life Covers The New Look. 1948

Dior Bar Suit Sketch from Design Museum. 

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For some reason I can't get these embedded Tweets to look like a clickable screenshot.
Annoying.

What if I have a religious objection to ASSHOLES TRYING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO
— the rejectionist (@therejectionist) February 16, 2012

Cave Men

Need birth control? Santorum funder Foster Friess says put an #aspirin 'tween your knees! 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/santor… #cavemen #misogyny #GOP #FAIL
— Interesting Times (@intrstngtimes) February 16, 2012

Test

Anti-contraception witness admits he wants ANY boss to be allowed to deny women #birthcontrol cvrg. #IssaCircus
— NARAL (@NARAL) February 16, 2012

Woman In Black

I love The Woman in Black by Susan Hill.

Terrifying book.

So I was excited they were making a movie version.

Went to see it today.
Enjoyable Gothic ghost story, no gore, and with lots of bits to make you jump.

If you have read the book then you will be disappointed (I was) in the way they changed the story around since it lost some of the pathos and depth, but Mr. Goddess has never read it and he liked it as a good old fashioned ghost story. 

Very much a homage to old style Hammer Films.
I will not mention how attractive Daniel Radcliffe looked in period costume and scruffy jaw since that would be pervy, we watched him grow up for heaven's sake. He plays terrified while angry very well and looked to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. Of course he's been playing that part in Harry Potter for years, but still this was well done on his part.

Supporting actors Janet McTeer and Ciarán Hinds (really, there has been a nice flurry of films with him in prime parts lately) were excellent as always. Roger Allum in small part at the beginning made me smile, I was not sure his character really was sorry to send Radcliffe off to Eel Marsh House at all.

So it was better then War Horse (there was a great movie in there somewhere), not as good as Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, which means I was not disappointed paying for it as long as it was a rush hour show.

And I will be sleeping with the lights on for the next week.

Because Chocolate Makes Everything Better

Favorite Chocolate Icing Recipe
Not mine, of course, but ATC.

Makes 3 cups to frost one 9-inch 2-layer cake

This frosting may be made with milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate. For our Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake (see related recipe), we prefer a frosting made with milk chocolate. Cool the chocolate to between 85 and 100 degrees before adding it to the butter mixture. The frosting can be made 3 hours in advance. For longer storage, refrigerate the frosting, covered, and let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

INGREDIENTS

• 20tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened (60 to 65 degrees)
• 1cup confectioners' sugar (4 ounces)
• 3/4cup Dutch-processed cocoa
•  Pinch table salt
• 3/4cup light corn syrup
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8ounces milk chocolate , melted and cooled slightly (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

• In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Frosting can be used immediately or held.
  
  
  I have also used the idea of adding corn syrup, butter and a bit of  Dutch-processed cocoa to the ready made stuff works great too. Just cut back on the ingredients, omit the milk chocolate and add the ready made chocolate icing in it's place. It really is delish. I think you could also add cream cheese with a bit of experimenting. maybe cut back on the butter.

It is a situation.

The Benedict Situation.


Yes, I have a Cumbernest.

“But nearly every woman I know has a roughly similar story - in fact, dozens of them: stories about being obsessed with a celebrity, work colleague or someone they vaguely knew for years; living in a parallel world in their head; conjuring up endless plots and scenarios for this thing that never actually happened.”

—	Caitlin Moran, How to Be a Woman  Two Very Smart Women.

A Modern Vintage Christmas

Creepy Christmas

Well it is not really all about Christmas.
First though is the need to just post this picture that Ang over at Dorthea's Closet found.

Really, do I need to say anything?

Then there is this gloriously creepy, but beautiful rosary from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. via ArtFire.

Each bead of the rosary represents the bust of a well-fed burgher or maiden on one side, and a skeleton on the other. The terminals, even more graphically, show the head of a deceased man, with half the image eaten away from decay.


I think there should be a swell in reproductions of items like this.
Need.
Now.

Cyber Monday Discount

Better late then never......Cyber Monday 15% discount at Damn Good Vintage on Etsy. 

Please use CYBERMONDAY coupon code.

A Vintage 50's Christmas: Tablecloths

I pulled the tablecloths out today.
Normally I use this as a curtain in the kitchen.

This is my Christmas Tree Skirt/ under the tree cat bed.

This on is my favorite.
Love the stylized trees and the color combination.

As Advertised

Sometimes things actually work the way they are designed too.
I have dogs.
Large stinky dogs with skin issues that live in my house and even with all the washing and medication and vacuuming the house still smells like dogs live here.
The litter box goes unnoticed.
What does help are those Glade Plug-Ins.
(Yankee Candle ones are good too, but pricey and Air Wicks are just disgusting.)
BUT and this is a big but, my husband and son are picky about the smells I use because said smells irritate their noses and/or give them headaches. I actually would not care a jot if it was not for the incessant whining from the two of them.
Candles are OK, but they don't get the job done and I am always afraid one of the evil cats will knock them over in a bid for freedom to escape their fur less monkey oppressors.
So I am always on the look out for fragrances I like and that my family will keep their pie holes shut about. The problem is I don't like florals much or vanilla or "clean linen" which normally leaves me with apple cinnamon.
Boring.
I like a citrus herb smell or something with peppermint in it.
Normally those are very hard to find at my local Wal-Mart and sell out really fast on-line.
Now because it is almost the holidays I decided to see what was going on in fragrances for Christmas.
Oh peppermint and some kind of tree stuff that will make my worn out fake tree smell "real".
HAHAHAHAHA.
Sold out.
(we have now reached the point of this post.)
EXCEPT on the Home Depot (of all places) website where you can pay via paypal and then go pick up at your local store which avoids shipping charges. I have tried other stores "buy online pick up at store" ventures and they normally are rubbish.
This time it worked.
I walked into Home Depot, went to the service desk gave them a print-out of my email and in 5 mins (it would have been less if not for the annoying humans in front of me)  I was out of the store and on my way home.
Happy.
I even noticed what a lovely day it was. NPR was playing a bit of music from LOTR, the leaves were falling from the trees as I drove underneath and it was almost, dare I say, fucking magical.

(BTW, I also noted that they have a couple of really lovely pre-lighted fake trees from Martha Stewart and very retro wrapping paper and a great collection of aqua ornaments.)

Stop Seeing Yourself as a List of Problems....

I fucking love Caitlin Moran.
Why?
Just watch this bit from the Edinburgh Book Festival 2011.



I'm a feminist and I'm quite annoyed how the word feminist has been fucked with by the work of conservative twits.
Here's the deal, if you have a habit of making statements like this, "I'm a feminist, but..." then you are really not a feminist you just enjoy the benefits of the things feminists fought for and still fight for to this day like, I don't know, being able to buy birth control as an adult without your husband or parents permission.
The comment is like working against access to abortion, but then being relived that that option is available for yourself or your daughter or your girlfriend.

It is too bad that we can't get her new book here in the US until NEXT YEAR and there are too many great quotes to choose from, but I'll leave you with my favorite:

"If you think that some sexism might be happening the question you have to ask yourself is are the boys doing it? Are the men having to deal with this kid of bullshit?"

Men's Wear

 Hello, Tailor  (one of my new favorite blogs) has an interesting post on the costuming in Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy (opening in the US in December) and how, when done properly, costuming is not just about getting the look of a specific period right, but also the effect proper costume design has on characterization.  I'll not delve into his points, I'll just use this as an excuse to post a few pictures of the lovely Benedict Cumberbatch in his snazzy flare trouser suits.

Jonathan has another informative post up on Kickshaw Productions, this time about the Zoot Suit. I had no idea it became unpatriotic to wear them during WW2.

And for the Hobbit fans out there there is a new production video from Peter Jackson on You Tube. I mention it not just because it made me squee, but there is a short bit with the costume designer discussing how the filming at 46 (?) frames per minute effected the types of fabrics she has chosen to use.

Vintage on the Runway, Dita in Howard Greer

 Dita Von Teese in what looks to be a vintage 1940's Howard Greer gown...or a good copy.

Howard Greer gown from the archives of Dorothea's Closet Vintage.

From the VFG website:

"Greer opened Greer, Inc. in Los Angeles late in 1928 with a legendary star-packed opening. He was the first major costume designer to take the leap of establishing his own couture house. He started with custom design, then added ready to wear alongside it by 1947. After that his clothing was sold around the country and he was in the top tier of American ready-to-wear designers . Greer specialized in cocktail and dinner dresses that he specifically designed to look good seated at a table with stunning necklines.....In many ways, he remained true to his training as a costume designer. He didn’t follow the padded shoulder line of the 1940s, and liked to work with black combined with a range of pinks for contrast."

Photo Post: The last of The Summer

I know it is October, but here in Central Arkansas the summer is still hanging on by it's fingernails.
Just a few more days of 80's and then it looks like real fall might be around the corner.
I brought in the last of the Zinnias the other day and took a few pictures.

Also. TOMATO PIE. I got a hand full of green tomatoes from my mom about 3 weeks ago and just left them on the shelf and a last week they began to turn. Ate one last night, yummy as can be so I cut the rest up and made a tomato pie.
It is, as always, delish.

Vintage Lilli Ann Coat on Dita?

GASP!

Is it vintage? Not sure, but if it is I would not be surprised if it is a Lilli Ann coat.
Very dramatic.
Here's a few scans I have from early 50's Vogues.

Via Tom and Lorenzo.

Photo Post: Evil Cat is Hungry

Evil Cat pondering who (whom?) to eat first.

We ran out of cat food yesterday.
Luckily we got to the shop this morning before she decided the dogs would do.

For Those Who Love To Read

*

Since June I have purchased 13 books from Amazon for my Kindle.
Now I love to read.
And I love books.
I really love my Kindle.
I hate holding a book and I have an inability to get books back in time.
I lose books and my dogs have been known to find library books very yummy.
And I love libraries.

Today I found out that my local library now has the ability to lend books via Kindle due to a deal between Overdrive and Amazon.

Yippee!

My reading lists are heavily British and obscure, but there will be no more late or lost books fines and I will save some money on purchases.
Of course this all depends on what format my library has a specific book available in. From comparing what I bought in the last few months to what is available there are 4 books I purchased that could have been just borrowed. Plus there are a few I was not really sure if I wanted to read or not (Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) that now I can borrow happily.

I still have to go to the library and pay my $50 fine (I know....DON'T JUDGE ME) which I would have paid in May if they had a CC machine and took debit cards.
I mean really, who carries cash anymore?

*That is a Bryant and May mystery by Christopher Fowler. If you like mysteries and have a thing for London these are the best.

Mushroom Interlude

It has been pretty wet in the last week (finally) and mushrooms have begun sprouting from some potting soil.