Winter in the City 1940's....

Downtown Little Rock in the 40's.....or is it?
Click to see the full photograph.



Nice bit of luck makes for a fun composition.

How to Respond

On Little Green Footballs some mook posted this about the shooting today:

I believe that people are ultimately responsible for their own actions. If it turns out he is a lefty wacko who thinks she did not go far enough provide health care or some other lefty cause who will you blame then?

In response a most awesome regular poster responded:

People are ultimately responsible for their own actions. However, if it turns out that the shooter was motivated by violent rhetoric from left-wing figures, I will hold THEM accountable for what they said.

See, this is the thing. If the Baader-Meinhof Gang, or the Weathermen, or WTF, come back from the crypt and start spewing hate and blowing shit up, I will not be backing them, because, you see, I am an American liberal, and they are freakazoid assholes, and will be even if I find one or two basic ideas we agree on. If their rhetoric starts to be parroted by Democrats in Washington, I will not vote for those people, and will actively campaign for non-crazy Democrats.

And I certainly won't be caught dead on LGF pretending that the Weathermen are 'really a mix' of extreme right-wing and left-wing ideas, I will just be condemning their asses as radical terrorists. I don't like radical terrorists.

This isn't so hard. No conservative is diminished by the actions of radical wingnuts. It's a fucking radical wingnut! But pretending that there is no problem, that the rhetoric isn't out there, that it isn't bad, and that we don't have a problem, is just plain dumb.

And all I can say is THIS!

Dear Sarah.

Dear Sarah step up, be an adult and please take a bit of personal responsibility for your part in how crazy things have gotten. It does not matter why. What matters is that what you said could have resulted in a shooting. As a public figure you have a responsibility for the tone of the conversations. In an effort to tone down the rhetoric you might want to apologize for the targets and vow to never use gun/violent language when it comes to political rivals.
Or make maps.
Maps seem to get you in trouble.
There should be no place in our society for that type of talk.

and I'll begin by apologizing for anything I might have said in the past.
Now it is your turn Sarah.

And a Happy New Year (with the Thin Man)...

Happy New Year....

Enjoy some epic drinking with the Charleses.

Oh Yeah....Merry Christmas!

Time for my yearly "Christmas Nap", but before I lay down, here is the most awesome creepy Christmas poem ever by Neil Gaiman (NICHOLAS WAS) and animated by the folks at Vimeo.
If you enjoy Nightmare Before Christmas, you will enjoy this short video.

39 Degrees North: Christmas Card 2010 from 39 Degrees North on Vimeo.

Christmas Tree

Oh Ye Of Little Faith

In light of today's historic nature this is just a reminder for those who were bitching how much Obama sucked and was so weak just a few weeks ago.

Cats in Planters

I'm sure there is a website that collects pictures of cats curled up in planters somewhere...here are mine.

Baby It is Cold Outside!

Two great vintage coats listed today!

1940's Black Gabardine swing coat with swanky top stitching.



1950's Brown wool swing coat with velvet inserts.

Adorable

I got this adorable desk calendar in the mail today...it is too sweet and just right for my desk.
Purchased from Sweetlifepaper on Etsy.

Haven

I'm sick of all the "Obama is the worst President evah" from all the libs/progressives/whiny ass babies on the internet.
So here's a haven from the crazy:
The Only Adult in the Room



EDIT:
I just wanted to add that yes, not everything Obama has done or is doing or will do makes me happy, BUT I blame the majority of our problems on the Congress he gets to work with. I think instead of bitching about how Obama has failed Progressives and liberals and talking about primarying him in 2012 (and screw you Daily Kos I can't even visit you anymore) the true conversation should be how to get rid of the Blue Dog Democrats in the House and Senate who refuse to support the President's (or the Democratic party's) agenda.

Dear Yankee Candle,

Seriously?
There is NO FRAKING way it should take you 10-12 days to ship an order from your website. It would have been faster to have a friend go to a Yankee Candle store, buy what I want and ship it to me via priority mail.
And yes, I should have read the shipping info...but who would think it would take 10-12 fraking days to get an item from ya'll.
I would go out of business if it took me that long to ship an item.
Sheesh.

Signed,
a moron who is still going to patiently wait for my order because I really, really want that North Pole Reed Diffuser....it better smell good.

All Will Love and Fear Me....

Reality sucks.
Thank God for designers like Chinese Couturier Guo Pei who allows us to see inside her overthetop "White Witch-Red Queen-Scheherazade" Chinese fantasy:

Make sure you go to T Lo and checkout the whole set of photographs AND the video. You must watch the video.

So Sick

Yeah, not feeling well.
Head and chest.
Ugh.

My Kindle 2 just got here.
Pretty.
$89 Black Friday Bitches!

Paula Dean's Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf is just. so. wrong. for you, but it is what heaven probably tastes like.

Cake Tips

I have been messing around with cake recipes the last 6 months.
My favorite has been the Coconut Cake and an Italian Cream Cake I got from America's Test Kitchen.
Yum, but pains in the ass, so they are not cakes for just everyday.
I tried their newest yellow cake recipe and while it was very good, it was not that much better then a box cake mix. What I did take away from it was the trick of making the cake according to the package (in my case a Duncan Hines Moist French Vanilla) except in regards to the eggs. Here I put in one whole egg and 2 eggs yolks (set the whites to the side) then mix according to package...though I always add a bit more vanilla. After that is done you whip those egg whites into stiff peaks and then just gently fold it into your mix until the white streaks are gone.
You get a fluffier and lighter cake.
So I go for an easy cake in exchange for a homemade butter cream icing.

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (60-65) cut into chunks
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 Dutch Processed Cocoa (I use either the Hersey's)
pinch salt
3/4 cup light corn syrup
vanilla
8 ounces chocolate*, melted and cooled a bit*

So I melt the chocolate in a double boiler and set aside.
Put the butter, sugar, coca and salt in processor and pulse till smooth...maybe scarping sides once or twice.
Then add the corn syrup and vanilla, process until just combined
Scrape sides and add melted chocolate (see note*) that is 80-100 degrees
Process until smooth and creamy (10-15 seconds)
Use right away or make ahead and keep in fridge (it will stiffen up and you will need to get it back to room temp.

*So here are the notes about the chocolate.
They used Godiva baking chocolate (milk or semi-sweet) which I have, but today I used half Baker's semi-sweet and half Baker's German Chocolate and I like that mix better.

Enjoy.

20% Discount From Damn Good Vintage

Hope everyone had a fine Thanksgiving.
I had stove issues so you can guess how mine went....

Anyway, here is a Black Friday/CyberMonday coupon that you can use in my Esty shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/damngoodvintage
Use the coupon code BUYONLINE

I have all my items listed there so nothing will be missed.
IF you are interested in vintage patterns from Sew-Retro just drop me a line and I will send out an invoice for you.

Sexy, What?

I agree with the two lovely men over at Tom and Lorenzo:

Beautiful men, no doubt, but the only ones who strike us as sexy are Jon Hamm (who SHOULD have been at the top of the list, dammit), Joe Manganiello, and Robert Downey, Jr.

I don't find Ryan Reynolds sexy in the least.
Meh.

RDJ is always at the top of my list.


I will admit that my new guilty please is Benedict Cumberbatch who plays the lead in the BBC's new Sherlock Holmes series Sherlock. Lovely looking man.


And here is special RDJ bonus:



Enjoy!

Dog Funny

This post from Hyperbole and a Half on moving your dogs cross country is hilarious and spot on.
We live with both a "simple dog" and a "helper dog".....

Found via Balloon Juice.

I'll Take White Again...

Louis CK on white privilege....(NSFW)

Glee Annoys Me

So first off, I must say that I liked last nights show and think that the comments from Tom and Lorenzo are worthy of a reprint:

To the straight people reading us: remember high school?
(Yeah guys, I remember high school...it sucked.)

Remember your favorite songs and movies, TV shows and music videos from that period? Imagine if all of that media bombardment telling you what to like, what to wear, and how to be attractive, popular, and cool, imagine that all of that aimed for and addressed everyone else but you? Imagine what it's like when every sappy love song (or angry breakup song), every rom com, every trendy TV show and blockbuster movie, even every video game, imagine if they all depicted a form of romantic love that simply isn't available to you. Imagine going through high school without even so much as a hint of yourself reflected in any of the things you watch and listen to, any of the things that literally every other kid is talking about. Imagine the one thing you want more than anything in the world: to be kissed, please god, just to be kissed, imagine you have never seen that depicted anywhere or referred to in any way but as something to be mocked and shunned.

We grew unexpectedly teary-eyed watching this number. Not because sappy teenage pop songs get us worked up, but because the sight of a sappy teenage pop song being sung by one cute teenage boy to another cute teenage boy is still, sad to say, an extreme rarity. All we could think while watching this number was, "My god. What would it have been like to see this at 14?" To have the media offer up a romantic fantasy that actually reflected what we secretly yearned for......

Teenagers see thousands of murders depicted onscreen by the time they reach 18 but most of them never see a boy kiss another boy or sing him a sweet love song. You want to prevent gay kids from killing themselves? Push for more scenes like the above. Giving a young gay boy the dream that someday Prince Charming will come and sing a love song to him? You cannot imagine. You simply cannot imagine how revolutionary such a thing is.

We're sorry, folks. We know other things happened this episode and other songs were sung. We know you're expecting a recap of those moments, but for us, and we pray to God for thousands of gay kids out there too, there was only one moment in last night's show and it left us a little breathless and on the verge of tears. We're afraid the rest of you are going to have to recap the episode for us.

Now watch the video and tell me you did not cry....




That was the good part of the show.

Now I will bitch about the part I hated.
Coach Bieste's story....which was so well acted BUT....
Ugh.
As if a kiss from Will Schuster is going to wipe away years of being thought of as not a "real" woman because she is not "feminine" enough to attract anyone (male or female!) to so much as kiss her?
Lame.
I just do not believe that a woman who has been successful in what is a traditionally male job would really give up a career that she had to (making assumptions here) fight tooth and nail to achieve because her feelings were hurt?
Not happening.

Plus what I really had hoped would happen is that she would have reviled she was in a long term loving relationship and that she really just did not give a shit what a bunch of little teenage boys thought of her sexually.
And she would have had no problem finding a way to earn back the respect she felt she had lost.

Mr. Sulu Thinks You are an Ass

Posted Without Comment

One More...Predictions

I'll predict that the Dems will lose around 50ish seats in the house which is what historically happens to the party in the White House.
Let me say this again...this is not a "wave" or an "earthquake" or a "tsunami" for the Republicans.
It is what happens historically during the midterms to the party that is in the White House.
Of course the Pundits and President Palin will spew how this means Americans hate Obama and that everything the Democrats have done is teh suck and that we are a center-right country.

I think the Republicans might pick up a few seats in the Senate, but will not take it and I would not be sad if Reid was out and someone (Schumer?) became Majority Leader.

Arkansas is going "almost" red (we have weathered the recession/almost depression well with a surplus and our Gov is a likable man with a tool running for the R's) and will lose all that sweet Agriculture Committee cash which is just what a small, poor, rural state needs...but hey that's what the TeaGOP Party folks here seem to want.
And they will get just what it deserve when Tim Griffin (who should be wearing a orange jumpsuit) takes Vic Snyder's seat in the House. Oh and I'm sure the ridiculous amendment to our state constitution to make fishing and hunting a RIGHT will pass...morons.

I've Been Very Good

And really, I've kept my mouth shut during these mid-terms, but I remember why we should not be handing the country (or at least some of it) back over to the Republicans:



BUT no matter who you might vote for please just go VOTE...or you lose your right to bitch.

Pretty Vintage

Here is the group of vintage clothes I am working on this week...the dress above is a cute Suzy Perette:

Plus a few shots of the same slip...trying to come up with a different way to photograph the lingerie.

Update

Kitty is doing well, he ate and drank and used the litter box tonight.
It is becoming amusing watching him try to figure out how to navigate the house with the Elizabethan collar on.

Cheif Iz a Sad Kitty

Why do pets insist on getting hurt when the vet is closed?
Today I realized that Master Cheif was growling at everyone after coming in and laying down under a chair.
He's normally very sweet and would never growl at the dogs.
I bend down and give him a small "hey stop that" push and he has a huge (like 5 inches) tear in his skin behind his right front leg.
And just skin but down though the muscle.
No bleeding anywhere.
I think the cat who likes to get on the roof fell off and hit a lawn chair or the edge of the deck roof which is aluminum and sharp.

Of course I freak and head out to the emergency vet at the same time I call the boy to come meet me there since it is his cat.
The boy gets there and he makes one of the "adult" decisions pet owners make...to spend ever dollar you have to save a pet.
Vet thinks it looks bad but she'll sedate him and look around....the look around showed that he had not broken or punctured anything just a clean slice though. So she got everything stitched back together and we waited....

$452 later he has an Elizabethan collar, big ugly Frankenstein stitches across his back and drains hangin' out in case fluids build up. Recover is not for sure, but the vet felt he has a very good chance to make it.

Right now he is still drugged up and lock in the pet carrier for at least the next 6 hours.
Poor little kitty.
Keep your fingers crossed and send good thoughts his way.
Once he is on his way we will mock the collar by taking pictures.
So 1 life down, 8 to go.....

Pretty Vintage Dresses

Some of the vintage clothes I got within the last week.

Estate Sale Recliner

Finally.
My husband has been bugging me about the need for a recliner, but I hatehatehate the way they look.
This weekend though I found one he likes AND I like with a nice retro flair.
My son bought it, $56 and the husband is happy.

Ossie Clark?

The guys over at Project RunGay wonder if Cara Buono's (Dr. "you are better without him" Faye) dress is vintage.
I wonder Ossie Clark?

EDIT:
I'm gonna edit this due to Catwalk's good comment.
Yep she has a point, it does seem short, but we all know that there sellers/stylists who have no problem hacking off dresses for whatever "vision" they might have for a look.

Whiskey-A-Go-Go Megan

Last night on Mad Men Megan wore a great dress for her night in LA that looked almost like this:

In black with a bit of sequins at neckline...there might have been a cutout?
Need to find a still from the scene.
The pattern above can be found on Sew-Retro Vintage Patterns.

Vintage Dresses Coming Soon

Thought I would post a few of the vintage clothes I got at an estate sale last week that I'll be working on and listing in the next 2 weeks.
It was a great sale, tons of vintage in a house that generations had lived in (or had moved all of the stuff from one place to the other) and never threw things away.
Here's a few of the dresses:

Pretty Vintage Dresses

New Vintage clothing and patterns added to both Sew-Retro and Damn Good Vintage!

Vintage Photo Contest

Above dress can be found at Damn Good Vintage!

Heads up vintage lovers.
Carol over at Dandelion Vintage is having a contest!

Enter a photo of yourself dressed in one of your favorite vintage outfits. The public can vote daily for their favorites.

The 1st Place winner will receive a $250 credit to spend at Dandelion Vintage – www.dandelionvintage.com

2nd Place winner will receive $100.00 credit to spend at Dandelion Vintage

3rd Place winner will receive $50.00 credit to spend at Dandelion Vintage.

You can view the entries and enter the contest here.

A Subtle and Frightening Novel

Lesbians!
Oh my!
These awesomely bad covers are part of a collection of the covers from Lesbian Pulp Novels:

Included here are twenty-five illustrated front and back covers from pulp fiction novels dating between 1935-1958. This small collection of novels is part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library's growing collection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer materials representing the fields of history, literature, cultural studies, popular culture, the arts, and design. These novels, named after the inexpensive wood pulp paper on which they were printed, could be found at magazine and newspaper stands, drugstores, and bus terminals.

They amuse me and make me a bit sad.
You can more on the Yale website for the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library.

Down To The Foundation

Nice interview with Janie Bryant the costume designer for Mad Men.
The money quote is this:

Now the woman behind the Mad Men phenomenon has disclosed how the show’s unique style was created.Janie Bryant, the show’s costume designer, says it's all down to shapewear. Or what the lingerie department calls foundation garments. Girdles and longline bras - a cross between a bra and a corset - reform Mad Men's female bodies into hourglass shapes. And when the antique and reproduction bras and garters cause the actresses too much pain, assistants provide them with pads of moleskin to cushion their skin.

I say it all the time, but so many customers just do not want to hear it...if you are going to wear vintage you need to have the right foundation garments.