Happy 77th Birthday Elizabeth

Anytime, anyplace - Strathmere in the 1940s

That's what I'd choose if I could live anytime in anyplace, well, I'd like to visit Strathmere in 1902, which is the year that our house was built - I'd love to see it when it was brand new, and meet the family who owned it (we are only the 2nd owners) Otherwise I think I'd choose the 1940s in Strathmere to live anytime anyplace, after seeing these great photos.
I maintain a website about the history of Strathmere, and people lend me their old photos to use on the website. I recently received some photos from 2 friends, both now in their late 70s. The photos were of the girls and their teenage friends in Strathmere during the 1940s.

Not only are the 40s my favorite time for clothing, which makes me love the photos, but they look like they are having so much fun. One of the ladies who sent the photos recalls the time fondly with memories of swimming, fishing, singing in the streets at night. Small quiet family town, no boardwalk, no noisy crowds, just a bunch of friends making their own good times.

Also, I won these fabulous shoes on ebay this week!

They are too big! But I'm gonna try to wear them anyway!

Check out the interview I did for Planet Green about Vintage clothing -

Vintage Shopping: Everything You Need to Know to Find Perfect Pieces
Stay stylish and polished without setting foot in the mall -

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/eco-nomics/eco-nomics-vintage-shopping.html

Style Inspiration - Bette Davis

Can I please be Bette Davis from the 1930s to early 1940s? I love her style during that time and it is my favorite type of clothing overall too. I've been dreaming of the perfect wardrobe again, and I picked some of my favorite Bette photos as examples of how I'd love to dress everyday.
Casual, chic, with a little attitude to go with it. But I'm just shlumpy me in jeans and tees most of these long, cold, boring Winter Days. (Here I go again) Please, Summer, where are you? I'm dying to get back into my dresses!

Let Bette inspire you too -

ewww, these are worse than Uggs and Crocs

eww. Who would think that these were even remotely cute?





They remind me of the Planet of the Apes. Not the crappy remake, the real Planet of the Apes. I think Zera and Cornelius wore shoes like these. On monkeys they might be cute. No, even monkeys would know not to wear these.
I wonder how much they cost? Throw a designer label and a high price tag on crap and someone will think that it's fabulous.

(the offending shoes are on the feet of Sarah Jessica Parker, and yes I did spot them on the Project Rungay blog - oh yeah, they're still blogging about lots of stuff, they don't need PR to blog. Did you know that PR showed at fashion week this week? so I guess the show is filming somewhere. Where and when will we get to see it?)

She's crafty, with vintage stuff

I've been making some cute little stuff out of the cute little vintage stuff that is tucked into boxes, trunks, bags, corners, piles etc.
I work all day on the computer and lately I've gotten into the habit of spending hours on my lap top at night. So I made a rule - no computer after 7PM. Instead of being online, I have to read or make stuff etc. Yeah, I know it after 7PM right now and yeah I'm on my lap top, but I'm telling you about what I made for the short period of time that I actually stuck to that rule.
Here are a few of the items, all made with vintage stuff - 2 hair combs with flowers and a corsage-like pin made with a small doll dress -



I'm making things for myself and things to sell - http://www.dandelionvintage.com/crafts.html

A few of the things went up for sale today. I was going to put them on etsy because that's a good environment for handmade things. But even though I really enjoy etsy, I'm to the point where I think 'why am I putting this on etsy when I have my own website?'

Meanwhile I am busy working on the new stov. I have hats, day dresses, 1940s lingerie, gloves and maybe some of those gowns ready to go up on Sunday.

Here are quick snaps of some of the vintage items that I kept for myself.
You know that I love the tailored jackets, so here are 3 for me.
First is rayon, second is some kind of jersey and third is a tweedy brown.



Unwashed and unironed is this very cute dark blue cotton dress with drawstring through the lace neck - come on Summer!
Then there are the cute ivory shoes. Funky granny, orthopedic? No way, those are cute! And comfortable, I wore them on Sunday already.




Also - Go Cara & Jamie! I'm in an Amazing Race Pool, and my team are the Cheerleaders Cara & Jamie. Yeah, I know. They wouldn't have been my first pick, but I had 6th pick. But that's alright because I'm supporting my team! Yeah Cara & Jamie!

Score! Several vintage stock purchases this week

What a week for buying stock!
First, someone contacted me thru the website with some things to buy. I got about 40 1940-50s pieces from her that came by mail on Tuesday.
On Wednesday I bought about 100 dresses, most are 1960s, a few earlier, some later.

On Thursday one of my vintage ladies came to see me with a big load of goodness! It was a mix of stuff that she had been saving up awhile for me.
Kind of a mix of things. Not alot of dresses, but there were a few very super awesome 1930s 1940s dresses - I love the yellow gown, it has green beading. It has some stains that I'm not sure will come out though, so does the coral dress. But the black, floral and the rust gowns are really nice.



There were 32 pieces of 1930s and 1940s silk and rayon lingerie! Yummy. I was in heaven going thru those because I love lingerie from that era. The peach satin robe below has blue velvet appliques. Next photo is a sample of some of the slips and nightgowns, they're in larger sizes too.




Black sheer striped panties and bra! The peach panties are rayon jersey with garters. I like rayon jersey, why did they stop making underwear in rayon jersey?



There were also 106 hats. Yes, 106 hats! I really, really needed some hats, but wow! I got 'em now.



I had a headache most of today, so I didn't get much work done. I did a few loads of laundry (lingerie and some of Wednesday's dresses) I took these photos and photos of about 20 of the hats. I was thinking I could type the hats up quickly for this week's update, but I'm not sure I'll get that far, I won't be here Saturday. So next week I'll have to kick my behind into gear ad get alot of stock ready for the following update.

What did I keep for myself, you ask? That will be for another post!

Some vintage day dresses for me

Hey Summer! hurry up and get here (or at least a warm, early Spring) I've got a few new super cute cotton day dresses to wear!

First is a navy and white dress with pique trim and butterfly appliques on the pockets by Lee Wently for Wentworth. Zip front, I love that. Adjustable tie waist for blubby tummy days, I love that!

Next is a Swirl - Swirl, Swirl, fabulous Swirl! A Swirl is a perfect Summer dress - cool cotton, comfortable, again an adjustable tie waist. This is thin red stripes with embroidery on the top. I was afraid I might look like a candy striper, but it gives off more of a pink tone than stripey. It was a bargain at $9.99!

And in the mail today came this Princess Peggy (I know - a Swirl and a Princess Peggy in the same week!) I snagged the seller's photo to show you. It's a cotton plisse with letters print. Zip front, tie waist!

Sum-mer! Sum-mer! Sum-mer!

Remember how tiny my little puppy-girl was when I got her?

Snow day here in the woods, although the rising temp is making the snow go away pretty quickly. But it looked very pretty in the trees out here, and up our driveway.




Harlow was about 12 pounds when we got her, she's up to 58 pounds now! That should be it though, she needs to cut back now and her weight should even out a little. Do you remember how she only had that one brown spot on her tail when she was a baby? Now she has hundreds of little dots all over. She's 8 months old now.

She loves the snow. She runs with her mouth plowing through the snow. Eating as much as she can.



Here is the wolf pack, buddies Boris and Harlow. He's not as enthusiastic about the snow. When he goes outside, it's all business, no playing around.