Ahoy Maties!

As some of you may know, Saturday (September 19th), was Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Lucky for us, the Pirate Fest was going on in the St. Louis area.

First, the wee lads and lasses were to make a booty bag to keep their treasures in. Loot could be found throughout the day at various merchants.
Here I am tucking Nova's bag into his pocket.

Next up we saw some beautiful parrots and parakeets. This one was looking for a cracker, but Kevin's pocket was empty~

Isn't he pretty? I forget his name, but he is six years old. They can live to be 120, so they are a huge responsibility.

Shake a tail feather!

Avast! It is finally me turn at holding him!
The lighting is weird here and it appears I have no eyebrows... I look like a Muppet~

He liked to play and was a very good listener. He also liked to be scratched under his wings.

I wore me best pirate garb. I don't have a full shot, but I wore the same outfit a few years ago for Halloween, shown here~
Only I couldn't find my coin belt and it was too hot to wear anything on my head...

And instead of boots I wore my funky Demonia coffin heal shoes~ with striped stockings of course!



This couple had exquisite clothing! I had to go in for a closer look. I definitely wanted to sew a new frock after looking at so many fine garments all day.

We were to stop at the Leathersmith to pick up some booty. Here Nova got to stamp a small leather medallian with a scull and crossbones.

I had asked Nova if he wanted to wear his Peter Pan costume, but he turned me down... which was suprising. We looked for a pirate hat there, but no luck within our budget!
You can click HERE to see us dressed as Captian Hook, Peter Pan, and Wendy last year.

We enjoyed the music. These ladies did a fine job! The one sitting played various drums, and in this photo she is playing a sickle. (Some folks call it a kayser blade, but I call it a sling blade...) Err... sorry, wrong blade!

*Ahem*

They are Shillelagh Law.

Follow Me Up to Carlow was a good song.

The song I am playing for this post is The Queen of Argyll, a folk song. (The version playing is by Silly Wizard)
A group called 3 Pints Gone sang it at the fest and I just fell in love with it. They were really good!

Here are the lyrics,

Queen of Argyll
Gentle men it is my duty
To inform you of one beauty
Though I'd ask you of a favor,
Not to seek her for a while
Though I own she is a creature
Of character and feature
No words can paint the picture
of the Queen of all Argyll.

cho: And if you could have seen her there,
Boys if you had just been there
The swan was in her movement,
And the morning in her smile.
All the roses in the garden,
They bow and ask her pardon
For not one could match the beauty
Of the queen of all Argyll.

On that evening that I mention,
I passed with light intention
Through a part of our dear country
Known for beauty and for style
Being a place of noble thinkers,
Of scholars and great drinkers
But above them all for splendour
Shone the Queen of all Argyll

(cho.)

So my lads my needs must leave you,
My intention's not to grieve you
Nor indeed would I decieve you,
Oh I'll see you in a while
I must find some way to gain her,
To court her and to tame her
I fear my heart's in danger
From the Queen of all Argyll

From singing of Silly Wizard
RG
oct97

Here are some scurvy pirates enjoying the music,

We missed the belly dancers, but I've seen them several times during the Renaissance Fairs.

Nnotty Bits put on a fun little show. Two guys did lots of fun juggling tricks.
This guy was on stilts with a wooden spoon in his mouth. The other guy passed out bean bags and we were to *toss* them so that stilt man could catch them on the spoon.

Yeah, he got pelted.

Back home, Nova was eager to sift through all his loot~

....so were the cats...


It was a fun family day!

Arrrrg!!

8th Wedding Anniversary~

Happy Anniversary Kevin! I love you!

Today we celebrate eight years of marriage~

Our song is Beautiful by Gordon Lightfoot, are your speakers on?

You can read more about our wedding day here, but for now I thought you'd enjoy a slideshow~ there are some doubles in there and I apologize... should be 60 photos in all.
You can enlarge the slideshow by hovering the mouse over it and clicking on the four arrows in the square.

I had fallen in love with leonidas roses and pretty much chose our wedding colors to coordinate with those.

I designed and had my gown and bridesmaid dresses made. I was just learning to use the internet at the library... a few more months of research would've changed a lot of things I think! I had to have the Victorian/Antoinette looking shoes. Could not find them ANYWHERE. I ended up finding a black brocade pair at a thrift store. They were a bit too small but I didn't care! I covered them in the fabric from my dress, and my seamstress made new bows. The photo of them is a scan, and it was a few years after the wedding so the glue had yellowed a bit.

I was also heavier then, and thank goodness for corsets! I wore the whole sha-bang under my dress; chemise, pantelettes, and corset. My friend Lori and my sister Jonna were my bridesmaids... Jonna was only 15 at the time! My jewelry was from Victorian Trading Co.

I gave Kevin a pocket watch as a wedding gift, which gave a nice vintagey touch. His friend Greg and my brother (only 14!) stood up with him. In the slideshow you'll see my brother reaching for the garter, it's one of my favorite pics. The look on his face is hilarious, and it looks like he's in slow motion.

I see that you can have your vows renewed on the Titanic, the museum in Branson. Hmmmm..........Perhaps for our 10th Anniversary?

We are going to The Hill in St. Louis for pizza this weekend to celebrate, the BEST place to get pizza!

Tales of a shoe hoarder, Episode 11~

This past weekend I went with my sister Jonna and her friend Lacy to get measured for bridesmaids dresses. (The third bridesmaid, Kristyn, had to work.)

Jonna picked up her wedding gown to take home~ squeeeee!

Sorry folks, can't show you that!

But I did get permission from the bride to let you see the bridesmaid dresses we will be wearing this summer! Well, I'll show you *most* of it...

As I mentioned in this post, the wedding colors will be orange and pink.

The dresses are cute, but the shoes we found are SUPER cute! My mom says they look "naughty", lol.... Well perhaps they do, one more reason to love them!

They have a sheer organza ruffled ribbon edge, which will look awesome with the sheer pink underskirt on the dresses. Jonna is going to wear pink shoes too!

We can wear them with or without the ankle straps~ Here's a closeup! They're comfortable too. I like them so much I may have to get a pair in black, hmm... maybe white... or...red???.... stay tuned!

Tales of a shoe hoarder, Espisode Ten~ Let's go to the hop!

Girls... is there anyone out there that doesn't have or once had a pair of Keds? Hmmm??

I recently found these beauties~ looked like they had never been worn. Leather Keds for only $2.99 at the consignment shop. Just in time for a sock hop!

My client/friend invited us to a sock hop in honor of her 56th birthday. It was fun! The sad part is that we only got 2 pictures there, when my batteries died. Yep. I know. Blogger's worst nightmare. But had you been tagging along you would've seen all the great food and lots of twistin' goin' on! Everyone was in costume. I really enjoyed seeing the kids dressed up.

So, unfortunately we have no pics from the party action, or the birthday girl! But we do have some black and whites taken in a photo booth there, and a few from when we got home.

Here's the only pic from the party, Nova's first ice cream soda!

Here's what my little rebel wore~

Here's our black and white picture booth shots. I look like a total goof in some of these, but you know how those photo booth pics can be, lol!

Kevin wore a 50's style "bowling shirt" and jacket, rolled up jeans, and saddle shoes.

I'm all for poodle skirts, but I prefer pussy cats! My skirt and blouse are vintage 50's. I tacked on the kitty. The skirt is made of a fine wale courduroy, I love the texture... you can see it in the shoe pics. Thank goodness for wide 50's belts because after gaining my Thanksgiving/Christmas seven, this skirt was not zipping up all the way, lol!

I'm sporting faux bangs, black liquid eyeliner, and vintagey lips in Revlon's Cherries In the Snow. (which by the time these pics were taken it had probably worn off a bit!)

Musn't forget the high curled ponytail, complete with ribbon!

Closeup of eyelet blouse~
And lastly, here I am with Elvis and a friend at a work party back in 2005. Had to show you my pink crinoline! And look.... there's my saddle shoes!

Happy Birthday Andrea!

Tales of a shoe hoarder, Episode Nine~

These boots are made for walkin'!

Cheap faux suede slouch boots. I don't remember where I bought them, probably Walmart or Payless. Very comfy!

I like to wear them with my hippy/bellydancer/gypsy outfit. LOL! Most of my *ensembles* are very cheap. I usually only shop clearance racks. Each peice probably cost $5 or less, including the earrings. I definitely don't like to pay over $10 for anything. This skirt is just TOO much fun. I got it at Rue 21.

And such an outfit must be finished off with the proper hippy/bellydancer/gypsy hairdo...

(Especially if one is a hairstylist like moi!)

This is a very easy do, and I did this one quite hastily. It's sloppy and I didn't get it even in the back but oh well. Three minutes and I'm out the door...

Starting in front, grab a section of hair near the temple. Take a section just underneath it, and twist it over the top of the first section. As you go down, add hair to the bottom section before twisting over top. For this do, I stop at the ears, and keep twisting the loose strands to form a rope. I secure one finished side with a tiny clip to my scalp(otherwise it will come unwound). After twisting other side I bring both tails together and tie them with an elastic. I then flip the tail all the way over, towards my head.

Great for Renaissance Fairs! Here I twisted all the way down the sides, then secured both sides together with an elastic at the nape; made a bun and pinned.

Cottage goodies!

Oh my goodness, do I have something pretty to share with you! New sheets!

No ordinary sheets mind you...

Vintage sheets.

Beautiful, glorious, vintage sheets!

Just look!! Aren't they cottegy-licious?! C'mon, say it out loud~ you know you want to!



My friend at work loves to go to yard sales and estate sales, and has recently rented a booth in an antique mall. She had these sheets there and I told her if they were still there the next time she went in, to please bring them to me. I thought for sure they would be gone... (they were only there a day or two). I was in luck! ( I had to pay her quickly before SHE decided to keep them!!) The price tag you see is what she paid for them at the estate sale.

Thank you SO much Mary Beth!

The photo is one that she had sent me, so I'll get some more later with them on my bed.

******************************

OK.... next up is a little Christmas present I bought myself. I love cottages, and I love vintage needlpoint purses. Could a girl get any more lucky than this?




















I thought surely
it would go over $60...
maybe even $100!
But alas~
I got it for $30!!
Woohooo!


******************************
Now for some bad news, or perhaps blessings in disquise?

You may have wondered what the floral motif is from in my blog banner. Well my friends, it's a photo of some vintage drapes that were on eBay about a year ago. I bid high... I wanted them terribly....but I was outbid. I am still mourning the loss. Here they are~




Sniff.

Here's a recent loss. I was SO in love with this vintage needlepoint bag... pristine, in the box!! I have had it on my watch page since December. But I couldn't justify spending so much during the holidays. The auction ended without any buyers twice. Then it was listed again, for a lower starting price! I couldn't let it go this time! Once more, I bid high. But not high enough. Farewell beautiful bag.....



Wait till you see the inside.....................
Pink.....
vevlet.....
lining.
Complete with a pink velvet change purse. Yah, I know.... here's a Kleenex for you too!


Now I've lost my fair share of auctions over the years, but those two I shall never get over~
*****************************
*Wipes eyes and shakes head*
Ok, on to the next sob story!
Remember the border I wanted to hang in La Boudoir? Well, guess what. It's discontinued.

Believe me, I have SCOURED the net till I thought my eyes would bleed. There is none to be found. I even saw it on two different sites...put orders in and they emailed me back saying the border was no longer availabe and my card was not charged. I bet somebody SOMEWHERE has it, they just don't have it labeled right for me to find it. Grrr.

What really makes me mad is that it is STILL availabe in OTHER colors!

Alright, so the good thing is that I do have one roll of it. I love the color. I can have it color matched and go ahead with my crown molding. But I really wanted that embossed look of a lincrusta frieze, you know? Oh well. Sniff. I suppose I could save my shoe money and get the real thing. We'll see. I'd have to give up a lot of shoes.

Thanks for listening to me gloat and rant! If you missed out on La Boudoir and bedroom pics, please click the labels below this post~