Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!!

BOO!
What a beautiful Halloween day!
I can't remember when we have had such wonderful weather. I'm so glad!
Many of you have asked what we're dressing as this year~
all I'm going to say is it just takes a little faith, trust..... and *pixie* dust!
Have a fun and safe night everyone!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Tales of a shoe hoarder.... Episode Six...

Happy Halloween!!
Boy am I letting y'all down on my shoe tales or what!? I promise I'll try to do better!

Here is a pair of WITCHY shoes! I love the heels on these. I bought these about 4 years ago. So much fun to wear on Halloween!

They are Demonia brand, and you can still find them~ there are different colors and styles as well. The heels are called coffin heels, bwah-ha-haaaa!


I don't wear these often, but they sure come in handy when I need REALLY tall shoes! My GWTW Portrait gown is too long for me, and I wore them all day with this gown twice.

This was taken at A Walk Back in Time two years ago. It's an event that has Civil War, Revolutionary War, WWII and Old West reenactments.

Here we are in costume for my home town's Sesquicentennial celebration. *AHEM* This is the day I found my headboard; yes, I was yardsaling in this gown! LOL! That's my mom next to me. We tied the headboard to the roof of my car and drove about 15 mph 5 blocks back to her house. What a hoot~

What's been keeping me so busy?

I told y'all I had been very busy on the net with something taking time away from my blogging~ I've been researching! I've asked my seamstress Christine to create Scarlett's green Christmas gown for me. So I've been burning my eyes out searching for materials and details for this gown.
Also Nova and I have been sick... as well as Melly cat! Plus I've been working on Halloween costumes.
We barely see a glimpse of this wonderful dress in Gone With the Wind. Scarlett wears it when meeting Ashley at the depot for Christmas, though it is hiding underneath her mantle (coat).
(She also sports the Paris hat and a muff in this scene)
Here is a wardrobe still~
As always, photos should enlarge when you click on them.

Next we see her for a few seconds after "eating the last chicken in Atlanta", and then one last look as she watches Melanie and Ashley go upstairs. This gown is one of the few she has that is more period correct and not so"Hollywood". That is one reason I want it made, so that I can wear it to Civil War Reenactments and such.

This is my favorite hairstyle she wears in the film~

Isn't that collar spectacular?? I hope I can come close to re-creating it!




I plan to use these appliques as part of my collar reproduction~
I have two of the replica brooches. They were offered as a premium from Lux soap in 1940 available for 15¢ and 3 soap wrappers. It was known as "Scarlett's Cameo Brooch." These are rare but can still be found on ebay and such. They usually range from $50-100. There is one on Ruby Lane for $121.
You might find one in your mother or grandmother's jewelry box!


I found a suitable fabric last year. What a bargain! A jacquard that should've cost about $20 a yard was less than $5 a yard, woohoo! I had not actually planned to do this gown for myself, as I was trying to be good and say enough is enough!
I was helping my dear partner in crime, Dee, as she had been searching a long time for fabric. Needless to say, when I saw the fabric and showed Dee, she twisted my arm!
Dee is tall and needs quite a bit of yardage. If I remember correctly, she ordered 30 yards! GWTW4ever is her seamstress. You can check her link to see this gown made in a gorgeous velvet. Dee's gown is not pictured yet and I'm anxious to see our two gowns made! GWTW4ever also sells gwtw doll costume patterns.





Such details on this gown! Wonderful pleating, bias cut trim, streamers hanging from the waist, silk undersleeves with lace that matches the neckline, and buttons down the front.


Here is my Franklin Mint vinyl Scarlett doll wearing this fabulous gown. I picked out the fabric and sent it off to Alana to be made.

I just finished making her a new collar and cuffs and I'm quite proud of how they turned out! I also made her hair ornament.

These are paperdolls done by Ralph Hodgdon. He was friends with the late Walter Plunkett who designed the costumes for GWTW. Ralph's gwtw collection is just amazing. Such detail! They have been a great reference when researching these frocks. If anyone is interested in his work, please email me. He is not online.


Fiddlee dee-dee, stay tuned everyone~ I hope to have this gown for Christmas!


Sunday, October 26, 2008

Should I or shouldn't I, that is the question~

Help! I have a vintage tablecloth I want to use in the bathroom as a window treatment. I was going to hang it with ribbons, and swag it over. But I tried it and didn't like it. It just doesn't swag well with the pattern on the fabric.


It has some stains that won't soak out...


and these are just a few of the holes...



It would look cute like this *if* I didn't want any light coming through the window. I'm thinking of cutting it down the center to make two panels. Then hanging them so the blue borders would be facing each other in the middle.

Thing is, I don't know if I can bare to cut it~


Here is a virtual of how it would look cut into two panels and hung as stated. I would then swag one or both panels back... or push them back on the rods further, as I'll be making a pocket to sheer them on.
So, what do you think? Should I do it, or leave this vintage beauty as is?

If it didn't have stains and holes, I wouln't want to cut it at all.. lol... at least as curtains, they will be lost in the "gathers"...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

La Boudoir, Episode Two~ Inspiration!

Good news folks! After writing my post about the Shauna Velvet drapes from Bed, Bath and Beyond I went to their site once again. I typed in the UPC code and still nothing. I've searched google and ebay many times; nadda. So this time I emailed BB&B. They wrote back saying that I could order them, there were still some available at other stores! Woohoo!
Not only that my friends, but they are now clearanced down to $9.99. Original price was $29.99. I had three coupons and they let me use them all! I'm so excited!

In other boudoir news, a bedding set that I have been drooling over at Kohl's since it came out has finally gone on clearance for 60% off! Same thing there, I searched the net and ebay forever and never found it cheaper. It is just starting to trickle into ebay, I suppose from being clearanced at the stores and people are gobbling them up.

The set is called Welbourne from Chaps; Ralph Lauren. Kohl's was listed on the cleaning tag, so no wonder I couldn't find it anywhere else!
Here's the advertising pic, and a closeup of the fabric. It's 100% cotton sateen. Lucious.




I wish the bedskirt was the same ticking looking stripe as the reverse of the comfortor and shams. Oh well, a girl can't have everything!


So now you'll see I'm toning it down a notch, we can't have Kevin living in the "land of precious" as he calls it. At least not *that* precious! Besides, I can't leave that vintage set on the bed, the cats would tear it up. It's for *display purposes only* SNORT!

The fabric draped across the bed is some yardage I had bought to redo a chair. I really need some new FLUFFY pillows for my shams. These look sad and saggy.

Now, with more drapery panels en route, I'll show you some of my inspiration photos. So rich looking!



Most of these photos are from The George Glazer Gallory. Stunning lithos you can purchase; if you are well off.



This first one is my favorite, *I think*











I also like the windows on Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby. Crummy pic, sorry...best I could do! I like the whole bedroom setting.

Then naturally there's our beloved Marie Antoinette's Versailles~ Le Drool.





This is a border I plan to put up, with gold molding. Over the top? Gaudy? Yes. Me likey!




What is the definition of boudoir? This is from Wikipedia:

A boudoir is a lady's private bedroom, sitting room or dressing room. The term derives from the French verb bouder, meaning "to pout"[citation needed].

(to pout!! *snort*)

Historically, the boudoir formed part of the private suite of rooms of a lady, for bathing and dressing, adjacent to her bedchamber, being the female equivalent of the male cabinet. In later periods, the boudoir was used as a private drawing room, and was used for other activities, such as embroidery or entertaining intimate acquaintances.
In Caribbean English a boudoir is the front room of the house where women entertain family and friends.
Latterly, the term boudoir has come to denote a style of furnishing the bedroom that is traditionally described as ornate or busy. The plethora of links available on the internet to furnishing sites using the term boudoir tend to focus on Renaissance and French inspired bedroom styles. They have, in recent times also been used to describe the 'country cottage' style with whitewashed styled walls large heavy bed furniture and deep bedding.

Hellooooo~

Just a note to let y'all know that I edited Kim's post with links to her article, ect... it was late last night and I didn't even think about that, duh!
Also, thank you so much for all the nice comments on my bedding and boudoir posts. I really appreciate it!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Angel in the Centerfold~

Hi folks! Have ya'll seen the October 20th issue of TIME magazine? My girlfriend Kim is smack dab in the middle! Quite the spread!

(I always wondered what slap dab or smack dab meant,

Kim was my neighbor at the salon I work at for a few years. She got married last year and moved to another salon. She is a great person who has some incredible stories to tell. As a styist, her talent is phenomenal.

How exciting to know a magazine celebrity, lol!
Here is her photo from the "shoot". I commented to her about how solemn and depressed everyone looked. She told me the guy said to just look away at the clouds and sky and think of nothing. HA!
You can click on her photo to enlarge, and see the article here.
Of course by looking at my sidebar you'll see we have different opinions; I don't think B.O. is for the working man at all. Socialism is NOT for the working man.
Had to say it, it's my blog! (Sorry Kim!)
This is a great photo, even tho she told me she doesn't like it. Buy hey, what woman wouldn't be critical of her own pic in a centerfold for the world to see?


Here she is at one of our salon's annual winery trips~

I have some other really cute pics of her from our PINK salon winery trip, but they're on a disk somewhere and I can't find it. : (


SO, I'll share these photos from a salon Christmas party instead. It was 50's themed, I was in dress up heaven.

Here's the lovely Kim in a wicked pencil skirt... shazaaam right?

Hold up, lets zoom in on those amazing shoes. Daaaaaamn.
Here she is sporting my vintage 50's cat eye glasses. Isn't she cute?!
I drew Kim's name for our Secret Santa. We were supposed to give a gift that started with the first letter of the recipient's name. For the life of me I cannot remember what I gave her ~ hey, it was 3 years ago. Hmmm. Must have been something funny?? Dontcha just love our bangs and ponytails?
Anyhoo, congrats Kim!


We're all impressed, and the salon just isn't the same without you~


And be very glad that I didn't post some of the really obnoxious pics I have from our escapades! *snort*! Hugs girl, we miss you!