Yaz 2008 - all awesome and stuff

Thanks for posting this on Facebook Becca! I've watched this about 10 times today and it's awesome everytime. Love Alison Moyet's voice. Lucky is the person who filmed this show, because they had a close up view of her happiness in singing. The joy really shows in her face.

I need this 'Boris Bulldog' t-shirt from Fluff

This tee is called 'Boris Bulldog'  and it is from The House of Fluff

I really should have this shouldn't I? I mean, my bulldog's name is Boris right? Check out this tee and some of the other super cute things that Fluff has, like the Molly the Mermaid tee.

Can you help me identify this mystery item? Ceremonial Robe?

This piece has been packed up in our house for several years. My Mom picked it up at a yardsale over 20 years ago. It's big, about 100 inches long and 22 inches wide. Old burgundy cotton velvelet with silk ribbon and tassels. The embroidery is very cool, done in metallic threads and chenille, with silk satin flower appliques. Tassles runs down the one lower side, and there are 3 silk ribbons on the other side, with a tassel on each one.
The back is a flannel, and it is very worn and dirty. It was lengthened about 5 inches on each end at one point too, still with old fabrics.
What is it? I thought maybe it was something from a church, but why the splits and why isn't there much embroidery in the main center panel? There is nothing on the back to hang it on the wall, the the ribbons on the top definately go back, otherwise the fabric on them is backwards if they were to hang down onto the pieces. But those ribbons are just pinned on. If it went on a table with the side pieces hanging down, they would be all floppy and wouldn't hang right.

Or is it some sort of ceremonial robe? It doesn't hang quite right, unless I have it wrong somehow. And why do flannel in the light tan color when it would show when it was worn. Plus the flannel is so worn and dirty, how much use would it get as a ceremonial robe? Once I put it on my mannequin, it really made sense as some kind of ceremonial robe/shawl. But what would have been, something religious?

I like beards

Jimmy Stewart reads a poem about his dog - get a tissue ready

Happy Birthday Boris!

Mr. Naughty, Grumpy-Bump - Bruisin' Boris is 9 years old today! Here's to many, many more birthdays!

Some vintage goodies for me . . .

Today I made a large vintage stock purchase for the website, and here are some goodies that I kept for myself!
In the background, you can see a section of Yo-Yos that was either the start of a quilt, or  a dresser scarf.I'm going to put in over the trunk at the bottom of my bed. I also snagged a large black tapestry purse, an old embroidered velvet box and a sachet.

Here is a closer look at the velvet box with embroidered top. Has a silk lining too. Excellent condition. Very sweet.




And a closer look at the crochet and satin sachet and some of the cool fabrics in the Y-Yo piece.


Then there is a sweet embroidered linen Bermuda bag and a grey knit wool purse, and a fabulous 1940s sweater with a beaded design. I also grabbed a black dress for myself, but I need to try that on first.

New car Love

I am giddy with new car love! I traded in my 2002 Mustang yesterday (goodbye, I'll miss you, you were a great car) for a shiny new dark blue 2010 Mustang! This is the 4th Mustang that I've had in my 26 years of driving. If I'm still alive at 60, I'll still be driving a Mustang because I just love them.
I'd love to have a 1967 Mustang, but I worry because old cars aren't always reliable, I like a car that I don't have to worry about breaking down or something going wrong with it. Maybe someday when I can afford having a 2nd car too, I'll get a classic Mustang.

Someone said to me a few years ago - "I can tell that you are single and that you have no kids because you drive a Mustang" - I don't know if that was a joke, an insult or a compliment.
But even if I did have kids, they'd be squeezing their fannies and all their kid paraphernalia into the back of a Mustang!

I love my boots, and my Sock Dreams socks

I wore my new boots 3 times this week, oh yeah, I'm going to totally wear them out.
This was today.
I wore my fabulous boots with Over The Knees from Sock Dreams - http://www.sockdreams.com/ - which I also love very much. Sock Dreams is awesome, there are about 20 different pairs of socks that I'd love to buy. I've never been a big fan of socks, but I think that I have seen the light, I have been saved. I have found salvation in Sock Dreams socks. So cool.

Wearing a dress in the Winter doesn't hurt so much with cool boots and warm Over the Knee socks. I'm short, so the socks actually come up mid-thigh. They stay up  well and they're very warm and comfy. (No, Sock Dreams is not paying me or giving me free stuff to sing their praises)

American Hairdresser 1946 - Transitional haircut

I have a copy of American Hairdresser from May 1946. Last year I gave myself the 'Transitional Haircut' from this magazine, and I posted a small scan of the image here on the blog. Since then I've been trying to grow my hair out. An unrealistic dream, because long hair doesn't look good on my long, narrow face and my long nose just looks longer as my hair grows longer.
So this weekend I gave myself this haircut again. And again I'm very happy with the results. I'm sure it's a cut that is probably still done in salons today. It's a nice layered style. Makes my hair look fuller - I have fine hair, but alot of it, and it tends to be flat. Takes a curl nicely and should be easy to work into some of the styles from the vintage hairstyle book that I bought recently (see previous post)

I have a weird rule about not posting pics of myself online (I don't want to destroy the mystery) but I had a request from a friend for a scan of the page from the hairstyling book that I used for the cut. So here you go, both pages. I tried to scan them big, in case anyone wanted to print them out.

Things that made me happy in 2009

Things that were good in 2009 -

*My parents and doggies were healthy, no major issues this year.

*Also no major breakdowns, malfunctions, disasters etc. with house, car, appliances or business. There was a mini-flood from a pipe leak in the cottage this Spring. But I got thru that with just a little drama.

* The Summer was awesome. Every Saturday I had a day to myself in Strathmere. Walked around town. Sat in the sun reading Jane Austen. Walked to the library.  How long until next Summer?

*Sales were up at Dandelion Vintage this year! The year end totals had been about the same for the previous 3 years, but this year passed them. Just by a little bit, but every little bit counts when you run your own business. I also bought some great stock this year. I bought over 300 hats within 1 month! And I got some really pretty slips and girdles, and great dresses. Plus I got some nice pieces for my own wardrobe. Which is always a good thing.

*I found some old friends thru Facebook that I haven't seen in 10-20 years. That was really cool. I'm really bad at keeping in touch with people.  We're not all best friends talking and hanging out now, it's just nice to know that they are a tiny bit closer and that I can get a little peek into their lives once in a while thru Facebook.

All in all, 2009 was pretty cool. My hopes for 2010 is to keep the above good things going!
*I'd like to get ahead a little and save up to get a new car later in the year.
*I'd like to take more time for myself in Strathmere. (Summer is really the only time that I give myself a day off, and even Saturday mornings I  clean 2 rental units before I get the rest of the day to myself)
*Continued health to family, doggies and friends. Boris will be 9 years old this month, and that worries me. 10 is the average life for a bulldog. Ms. Fatty lived to just 3 months shy of her 10th birthday.


I hope everyone has a great New Year/Decade!