Retro Romance

Retro Inauguration

2009-01-19T22:05:00.010-06:00

I'm sooo excited about the inauguration tomorrow! I'm going to wear my new Obama t-shirt to work. It's just such an exciting day. I wish it was a holiday so we could all stay home and watch! In honor of the day I thought I would post some photos from another retro-fabulous inauguration.

I'm Back!

2009-01-11T01:43:00.005-06:00

I'm back for now! I have been soooooo busy! I feel like my life has been a swirling tornado for over a year. I have moved and gotten a new job. Then I was having some boy issues! Ugh! I have still been keeping an eye on my eCRATER shop but that is about all I've had time for. I have been home sick all day and been spending a lot of time surfing the web. I decided to visit my blog and found all of these wonderfully sweet comments that I didn't even realize people had left me. So, it inspired me to leave an entry. I have moved into a new house which I decided a long time ago would be the subject of at least one new entry. I was not able to move into quite as cool of a mid-century mod house as I woud have liked but it's not bad. My parents owned it and gave me a deal I couldn't resist. It had previously been owned by an older lady who probably hadn't redecorated since the 1960's but had kept everything in immaculate condition. I had planned to take lots of pictures of the house to post about. But because the drama created by a stupid boy has kept me preoccupied for over a year I was just lucky to get it remodeled and redecorated. Taking pictures and blogging was too much for me to think about. But, I will try to find some images to illustrate for you.

The first thing I will share with you is the dishwasher. It was the VERY first thing I HAD to replace in the house. It had to have been the first dishwasher ever created! It was very cool looking but didn't clean a single dish. It had a wood paneled front that matched the cabinets. My mom insisted I should try to keep it and put it on the front of my new dishwasher but I told her that wasn't going to happen! Though, it does seem that look is coming back in style again. You could tell it was so old just by the font of the brand name on the front. I want to say it was a Frigidaire but I'm not for sure. The inside of this dishwasher was turquoise blue! It matched the shag carpet in my family room which I will get to later. It had big metal push buttons. I have looked all over online and can't find a pic of a similar one. I am kicking myself for not taking pictures!! I will have to look around and see if I have an instruction manual somewhere foe the dishwasher that gives the date for it. It had to have been at least the 60's!

Valiant Efforts

2007-07-29T16:10:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry to say I think I lied a while back ago when I said I would be blogging more soon. I have really been trying but it just seems like this summer has been out of control. I'm still not moved yet so I'm dealing with lots of house stuff. This past weekend my car died. Just in case you don't know......when the engine light on your car comes on it means STOP! I was on a 2 hour trip home when my engine light came on. Last time that happened I hadn't put my gas cap on tight enough so I thought it was no big deal. Everything else seemed fine! About 10 minutes later I noticed the temperature gauge was running all the way past the H. Still things seemed good, no steam was coming out so I turned off the AC and kept going. By this time I was 15 minutes from home and decided I just needed to get there! Well 5 minutes from home (thank goodness it was that close) my car completely died! Steam was coming out and it was bad! I think I might have to get a new car! So, while checking out the car dealers I saw this cool little car! It's a 1960 Dodge Valiant so I'm not quite sure why it was in the lot of the local Honda dealer. Anyway, I have always thought this was a cool little car. When I was in high school a good friend had one (and it was vintage at that time too!). He would take us to lunch everday in this awesome little car. I always thought it was so neat that instead of having the typical gear shifter it had buttons on the dashboard you had to push to select the differenty gears. Maybe someone else who knows a lot about cars can give us some more infor on this car. The only thing I know about cars is what looks cute! And, I definitely think this car is a cutie!

Kiss Me, Kill Me

2007-07-16T14:47:00.001-05:00

I saw the coolest movie late last night on some strange local station. It was called Kiss Me, Kill Me. It was an Italian movie that is apparently also known as Baba Yaga. It was a really creepy, weird, suspense movie. If you don't like weird you WOULD NOT like this movie. Also beware, there was some nudity. So, if that's not your thing stay away. OK, now that I got the warninigs out of the way I can go on! I knew I was going to love it the minute it started. The music was fabulous and the opening credits were oh so retro! The opening credits were full of these very retro black and white drawings. This movie is from 1973 and these images immediately made me feel like I was right there. The star of the movie is a woman named Valentina played by Isabelle De Funes. I don't know who she is but she is absolutely beautiful. I was particularly in love with her hair! It was totally a 60's Vidal Sassoon look! Don't you think? This is what my hair used to look like before I let it grow into the That Girl look I wrote about recently. I'm not really aiming for the That Girl look! It's just a stop along the way to bigger (Well maybe not BIGGER. The 80's are definitely not the look I'm going for!) and better things. But, Isabelle De Funes makes me want my bob back!!! Don't you just love her hair?? I think it's so funky looking! I think I would have worn every outfit she wore in this movie over 30 years ago! She sort of had that hip beatnik thing going on with her turtlenecks. And the boots the witch has on in one of the first scenes when she gets out of the car would make Imelda Marcos cry! You need to watch this movie if for no other reason just to look at the beautiful images and style. If you're not interested in the story turn the sound down! Apparently this movie is done in the Giallo style. I don't totally understand what that is but if this movie is a good representation of it I hope to see more! I don't know if this is a movie you can get at your local Blockbuster but you know Amazon. They've got everything! The Amazon listing has this movie coming out in 1976. That must be the English version.

Bakelite Couture

2007-07-06T23:45:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago I did a blog where I mentioned an amazing bakelite artist called Bakelite Couture. Bakelite Couture has just opened a new store at bakelitecouture.com. Bakelite Couture by Olof Bridgeford is a line of Bakelite Art Jewelry made using only Genuine Vintage Bakelite. All pieces are cut, carved & polished by hand using the same techniques & processes as the master Bakelite jewelry makers of the 1930's & 40's. Pieces range in style from Traditional to Geometric & Art Deco, specializing in High End Investment Quality pieces that are either one of a kind or limited. Bakelite Couture pieces can be found in a number of major US Collections as well as in England, Japan, France, Germany, Australia & New Zealand. Bakelite Couture accepts special orders & commission work & is always happy to collaborate with a client to create exactly the piece they want. The integrity of every piece is guaranteed to be of the finest quality. Her work is amazing!

Something Red

2007-06-29T01:10:00.000-05:00

I know I just had a post about the Etsy treasury recently. I really am not that into the treasury like some people. But, I had a cool idea for a treasury so I picked out some things. Then I went to the treasury to see when the next one expired. It was going to be 2 days so I started to back out when I saw a yellow star! That means I was being featured in someone's treasury! What a thrill. I only know of one other time I've been featured in a treasury but I really don't go checking for yellow stars or anything so it's possible I've been in others and not even been aware of it. The wonderful seller Munieca featured me in her Something Red treasury If you go check it out you can see the vintage red and white bead necklace that is for sale in my store . It has a very retro flair. There is also a cool red retro purse by CynContemporary featured in this treasury. Munieca has great taste!

That Girl

2007-06-26T00:46:00.000-05:00

So......this is what my hair looked like today. I have That Girl hair!! I didn't even have to try to get it to do this. Seriously! It just does it! Actually it's a little shorter, just below my chin (I'm trying to let it grow out). Now I have this feeling That Girl went through a lot of trouble to get her hair to do this. I'm quite certain she just didn't get out of the shower and this happened. Yep, that's all I did! I took a shower and washed my hair and this is what it looked like when it dried, minus the big bangs. My question is this, is That Girl hair too weird for the year 2007? I need your fashion advice! Why didn't someone who lived in 1966 get this hair?? The other option to That Girl hair is blow drying it for 15 minutes while it's 95 degrees outside and needing to take another shower when I'm done because I'm so hot and sweaty and gross. Grow hair, grow!!!! I think when it gets longer I won't have this problem anymore.

Pink Cotton Candy

2007-06-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

I found this adorable pink cotton candy dress at iamsonotcool. I love this dress and I want to buy it but I'm not sure if it will fit. It is 17 inches from armpit to armpit. That is REALLY small. There are darts but I'm not sure how much room they will add. What do you all think? I wonder what size bust would fit in this dress. I WANT IT!!! I'm kind of small but I don't know if I'm THAT small. The mod little buttons are so cute. And, I love the detail in the zig zag stitching. I have a dress practically the same style that fits great. I guess I should drag it out and measure it. That's been my best bet for finding vintage clothes that fit. I find something I already own in the same style and then compare the measurements. Well, I'm off to get the tape measure.

Mod Madness

2007-06-20T18:48:00.000-05:00

I just got a treasury on Etsy today. It is one of the first treasuries I've had in a long time. You can check it out at Mod Madness . It features lots of great retro items from great Etsy sellers. If you are not familiar with Etsy it is an online shopping venue for handcrafted items, vintage items, and crafting supplies. If you are not familiar with the treasury it is a really cool way for Etsy members to feature their favorite Etsy sellers. You can find some really beautiful things in the treasury. It was just revamped and seems to be a little buggy at the moment but if you check the link on the main treasury page you can get more info about the treasury and how you can feature some of your favorite Etsy sellers

Happy Father's Day

2007-06-17T21:13:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day!!! Here is one of my all time favorite retro TV dads! I knew I was geting old when I realized Gidget's dad was not only a cool dad but kind of cute too!

She's Open For Business

2007-06-16T22:43:00.000-05:00

In April I did a blog on an amazing artist named Jenn Ski. She was just getting ready to open her own website at jennski.com. Well, she's finally open for business! She has some pieces up at this site that I've never seen before. They are all so great. I HAVE to buy one after I move. I was reading the forums on Etsy today. There was a thread about your favorite off Etsy artist. I was going to post about Jenn Ski but I thought I would do an Etsy search JUST to make sure she wasn't on Etsy. It turns out she has been on Etsy for 2 days!! She has an awesome Etsy shop. I hope everyone will go check her site out. She says she has some other goodies coming like housewares and stationary. I can't wait!

Vintage Wedding Ring?

2007-06-16T01:23:00.000-05:00

I know I said I would update a lot more this summer but it's just been crazy! Things are not completely finalized with my new job so I've been dealing with that. In the midst of trying to get my house clean for the realtor my great aunt died. Our family is very close and she had no children so we were like her grandkids. I didn't think I would be so upset when she died but it's very sad to think she won't be around anymore. She lived a long happy life though. She was 96 years old and still in great shape in so many ways. She was as with it mentally as you or I. Her body just finally give out on her. We are glad it happened very quickly because she never wanted to be in a nursing home and really had no one to take care of her. Thankfully she got her wish! My grandma is in charge of her estate and most of her stuff was left to us. We went to her house the other day to look around and take anything we wanted. It was really sad to be there like vultures rifling through someone else's things but that is what she wanted. I'm happy because I feel like I got something really special. In her jewlery box I found a ring that was just a plain band. It was VERY black and corroded and looked like a piece of junk. No one wanted it so I decided to take it and see if I could shine it up. I didn't really think I would be able to. Surprisingly it shined up very nicely! We are now wondering if it possibly could have been her husband's wedding ring. He was a man who died when he was only 58 and I never knew him. It is a plain silver band that has some grooved lines going around it. Many of them are worn away which means this ring must have been worn A LOT which is why we think it might be a wedding ring. I'm sure this ring must be at least 50 or 60 years old and possibly older than that. It was my vintage find for the weekend! It fits on my largest finger so I think I will wear it for a while as a reminder of my aunt. She was the type of lady who didn't have a lot of stuff but she saved lots of special little trinkets over the years that were very meaningful to her. I know she would be happy that someone else also found some of her things special. I will probably eventually blog about some more of her things. I got a few interesting vintage scarves including one from Italy. I promise I will try to update more often. Things should calm down at the end of next week!

So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright

2007-06-09T18:33:00.000-05:00

I love Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture. I never thought of looking him up on YouTube until I found a link to this cool video at Lotta Living. Lotta Living has a great message board where you can discuss all things mod. I was also not familiar with this song by Simon and Garfunkel. Now I'm off to go watch more Frank Lloyd Wright videos on YouTube.

Fashion Dig

2007-06-07T20:54:00.000-05:00

I just spent an hour messing around on this new site I found called Fashion Dig. I still haven't looked at the whole thing but it's seems to be a really great place. They have a nice forum that could use a little more action. You should go check it out! They are also a selling venue. I found this great dress/ coat set at Orlando Vintage on Fashion Dig. Orlando Vintage has some other really great items in their shop like this leopard print dress that comes with a turban! This totally looks like something Mrs. Robinson would wear in the graduate! I'm going to have to look around and check this place out some more. I encourage you to come and participate in the forums. There are several other vintage sellers who participate.

Marvelous Mary Quant

2007-06-06T19:21:00.001-05:00

After taking the mod quiz last night I decided to do some surfing to find out more about Mary Quant. I LOVE her style! She is known for popularizing the mini skirt and hot pants and was a British designer who studied illustration at Goldsmiths College. She owned a popular clothing store in London called Bazaar. Mary Quant claimed the shortening of the skirts during the 60's was very practical because it allowed a woman to run for a bus. Sounds good to me! She also invented many of the colored and patterned tights that were often worn with the miniskirts. Quant was at the height of her fame during the mid 60's. She has been referred to as the high priestess of 60's fashion. Her website is at Mary Quant. There are some beautiful images of her work at this site. She currently has a makeup line. I found this lovely dress she designed at Victoria and Albert Museum. This is a fascinating site I will have to check out some more later. I love this stylish little red dress! It doesn't help that red is one of my favorite colors! Since this dress is in a museum somewhere I guess there probably isn't much of chance that I will ever get to own it! I found a very similar dress at Laura Beth's Vintage. Laura Beth has some lovely item's in her shop!

What Sort Of Mod Are You?

2007-06-05T23:15:00.000-05:00

I'm avoiding cleaning the house so I can have the realtor over. It's such a mess and it's my vacation. I just want to do nothing! So, in the process of procrastinating I came across another fun quiz I thought you all might like. I don't know how accurate it is but the results generate some lovely photos!

What sort of Mod are you?

Basic Brit Mod-You're the originator of mod style. You like scooters, doing the twist and drinking rum and coke, just like a good mod should.
Take this quiz

I Quit!

2007-06-05T02:44:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't been good about updating lately. I finally quit my job on Thursday! You know, the awful one I was writing about recently. I quit AND I'm going to be moving! I'm really scared and really nervous. I keep telling myself there is only room to go up! At least I hope! The one thing that has me excited is the thought of possibly buying a house that looks like this, maybe a little bit smaller. I found this house at 5280 Mod Right now I live in an older style house because that's all there is where I live. When I move if I get lucky I should be able to find a much more modern house. Right now I'm tying up all the loose ends at work. As soon as that is done I should have a lot more time to update the blog. I promise! In the mean time I any calming words are appreciated! I'm so nervous about the new job! I won't start until August.

Mod Or Fraud?

2007-05-30T23:40:00.001-05:00

Do you have an eye for all things mod? Take this fun Mod Or Fraud Quiz. I found this fun quiz at Vintage Fashion Guild. Check them out too while you're at it. They are a great resource for vintage clothing.

Memorial Day, Summer, The Beach & Ponytails!

2007-05-29T22:30:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while since I've posted because I was visiting my parents again for the Memorial Day weekend. Their computer is so slow I don't even bother! I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day. I got to spend time with lots of family and friends. Now summer is officially here! Yay! I should be able to update the blog more this summer. I can't wait to spend my summer like these 3 lovely ladies. I love the glasses on the lady in the middle. Actually, I'm not much for baking myself in the sun. I spent a little too much time out in the sun (on an overcast day) Friday and ended up with a sun rash. That has NEVER happened before! But, I am looking forward to swimming (which I love to do) and lazing around. I also noticed that each of these ladies has a ponytail. I'm also looking forward to that. I probably noticed the ponytails because I just got done taking a shower so I could "practice" fixing my hair after washing it. How pathetic is that! I couldn't risk screwing it up in the morning and not having time to fix my disaster. I'm letting my hair grow and I'm centimeters away from being able to have a ponytail. I can't wait! I'm sort of in turmoil about the hair right now. I have had a bob for a few years now. I love the retro/ mod look of a nice classic bob. But I decided maybe it was time for a change. I hope I don't regret all the time wasted growing it out. It's actually been pretty easy since it was all one length. But, I decided to let it grow right after getting an unfortunate slightly too short haircut so it is taking a long time.

Cleaning The Airwaves

2007-05-23T22:59:00.000-05:00

I just got done watching the season finale of American Idol. I now feel the need to clean the airwaves and put the world back in balance!

I found this video a few months ago when I was looking for a demonstration for a music class I was teaching. I LOVE it! The hippie girls dancing in the background are so cute! The little girls in my class loved them. I have always thought there could never be anything attractive about David Crosby but they are ALL so adorable. I love the way the one guy (I can't keep all of their names straight) peeks over the top of his glasses. And, the tambourine player flipping his hair is the stuff teen idols are made of! After watching this I looked them up on Wikipedia. Unfortunately, several of them met tragic, untimely death. So sad!

Beautiful Bangles

2007-05-21T21:04:00.000-05:00

Are these the most beautiful bangles you've seen or what??? I love the colors! Why, oh why, do I have to be so poor?? You can find these great bangles and lots of new items at Recy Vintage. Recy is the highest quality internet seller I have ever dealt with. When I purchased from her she had great communication and was extremely friendly. She sent me a lovely package that made me feel like I was opening a present! If you want to see what a truly wonderful spirit she has check out her blog at Zazazu. Her blog is so inspiring. It gives me something to think about every day. Please take the time to check out her store at Recy Vintage. You won't regret it!

Blogger's Choice Nominee

2007-05-20T21:26:00.000-05:00

Please vote for Retro Romance in 4 Blogger's Choice Award categories. All you have to do is click the links below and vote. The support of all the readers out there is greatly appreciated. Please help make Retro Romance a winner.

I Need A Drink

2007-05-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

After the week I've had at work I need a drink! Unfortunately, I think I might have a cold (caused by stress) so I probably shouldn't. Someone told me once if you don't know for sure that it's a cold it's probably allergies. So, who knows! I took some Airborne this morning. Has anyone tried that stuff? I think it totally works! I got generic this time and for some reason it tastes REALLY gross! I don't know if I can drink anymore. Maybe it's allergies. All I know is right now I'm dreaming about having a nice drink. Nice has the most lovely vintage barware. I love this swanky ice bucket! It looks like it came from the Rat Pack's hotel room in Vegas. I think these are some pretty hip bar glasses also. They would be perfect for a nice Long Beach Iced Tea. Nice used to have a lot more great barware. It must have sold. I hope they get some more in.

Take This Job And Shove It

2007-05-17T20:27:00.001-05:00

So, I hate my job. Actually, more than my job I hate the people I work with! Sometimes I wish I was the lady in this photo. She looks like she has a nice little office job where she files papers and types all day long. That sounds soooo relaxing. I know if you are someone out there who has this kind of job you will say it's not that great. But, it HAS to be better than what I'm doing! There are many times when I think life would be easier if I lived 50 years ago. I probably wouldn't even have a job. I would be married to Ward Cleaver and spend my days at home baking cookies for Wally and Beaver. If I did have to work I would probably be doing what this woman is doing. No one would expect much of me! I know that is so wrong! I should be grateful that I live in the 21st century and I can have any career I want. I should feel lucky to have so many options available to me! But, for today (and maybe tomorrow) I want to be the lady in the picture.

Modeling Mid-Century Modern

2007-05-15T21:23:00.000-05:00

Have any of you checked out the blog Modeling Mid-Century Modern? I love this place. This guy does technical drawings of Mid-Century Modern homes. But, in his off time he posts photos of the most awesome mod homes ever! I swear, he lives in Mid-Century Mod heaven! I think every single photo he posts is my dream home unti I see the ones he posts the next day! I could drool over these houses all day long. I want one sooooo badly! The one I posted in this blog is one of my favorites. I would love to have a house like this surrounded by trees off in the woods somewhere. If you like this kind of architecture you must check out Modeling Mid-Century Modern. His wife is a realtor that specializes in Mid-Century Mod. She has some great houses posted on her blog at 5280 Mod. I sure wish she worked in my neighborhood!

Mother's Day

2007-05-14T20:30:00.000-05:00

I have been gone all weekend visiting my mom for Mother's Day. It is so hard for me to get stuff done on the computer at her house. She has not joined the 21st century so she still has dial up. It takes me 5x longer to do anything at her house than at mine. I beg and beg but she hasn't given in yet. She has her service with some little independent local company. She loves that fact that when she calls she talks to a real person who is nice to her. She doesn't seem to care that her service is horrible! So, here is my belated post in honor of Mother's Day. I thought I would post a few pics of one of my favorite retro moms. Carol Brady had some groovy little mod outfits! She had a few fashion moments I wasn't fond of but sometimes she was way cool! I love the color combination in this outfit. The blue in the necklace really brings out her eyes. I also like her sassy little haircut. I was never a fan of the long shag thing she had towards the end of the series.

Ah, here is the gross hairct in this photo but I had to post it because I like the blouse she is wearing. It fits so well and I love the retro look of it.

I love the mod looking top she is wearing in this photo and the color red is always great. I recently bought a very similar brown top at H and M . I actually wore it yesterday for Mother's Day with a pair of white capris. I hope you all had a good Mother's Day!

Bamabelle Bed Jacket

2007-05-09T21:02:00.000-05:00

I am completely in love with this beautiful, vintage, lace bed jacket at Bamabelle. It is gorgeous and just the right price. I almost didn't want to mention it in my blog for fear that someone might buy it before I do. But, I have decided it may be a tad too big for me since I DO NOT have a size 40 bust! Bamabelle has some other great finds in her shop. I have read a number of forum posts by her on Etsy. She really seems to know her vintage clothing and she appears to be a very professional seller. I can't wait to make my first purchase at Bamabelle.

Dixie Square

2007-05-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in another recent post I have become totally enchanted with the blog Malls Of America, a blog about vintage shopping malls. I ignored this blog for weeks until I finally took a look at it. After reading a post there I have become obsessed with finding information about Dixie Square Mall. It is one of the most interesting things I've ever read about. It is a mall that closed in the 1970's (It was also the setting for the Blues Brothers car chase.) The mall is like a museum! Their are so many remnants of times past in this mall. This abandoned mall apparently has open (or non-existent) doors which allow anyone to wonder in. It is truly fascinating. I encourage you to read a little bit about it. I found this photo at Chuck's Photo Spot. It is a photograph taken in 2005 from a display in the Montgomery Ward's store in the Dixie Square Mall. I love the groovy, retro images. It's amazing to think something like this has lasted untouched for so long. If you are interested in this type of thing check out Chuck's Photo Spot. He has the best photos I've seen of Dixie Square Mall along with lots of other great photography. It also appears there is going to be a documentary film about this mall produced by Paw Filmworks.

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four

2007-05-07T19:21:00.000-05:00

Retro Attic's MySpace profile has been featured at Blog Potato. Go check it out! There is a contest at Blog Potato each week where you can try to get your MySpace profile featured. I'm not sure why it is called Blog Potato but it got me thinking about Mr. Potato Head so I thought I would inclue this picture of him I found at Tinker Tailor's Photos. I think this Mr. Potato Head is a newer one. My Mr. Potato Head had a pipe if I recall correctly. You know that would NEVER be allowed today! It would be WAY too politically incorrect. It is hard to find photos of the older ones. I liked this one because he sort of looks like mine looked. Mr. Potato Head has gone through many, many looks over the years. Try giving him a Google Search and see what you come up with! I even saw a Mr. Potato Head dressed like Spider Man!

Tag You're It

2007-05-06T20:07:00.000-05:00

OK, this is the second time I have done this post. Right when I was about to hit publish I lost the whole thing because my browser quit! : ( Here we go again. Apparently, I have been tagged by Bellacolle and Saffron.

The Rules:

--List seven random facts/habits about yourself
--Choose another seven bloggers to tag and list their names in your blog
--Leave your seven tagged bloggers comments to notify them of their tagging and to direct them to your blog for tag instructions.

1. I collect Raggedy any stuff. The most recent Raggedy Ann purchase I made was from Recy Vintage. It was an old Raggedy Ann filmstrip. My favorite Raggedy Ann item is a bean bag doll that I got when I was a baby. It looks just like this one I found at DKK Dolls.

2. I still have my orginal SWATCH watch. I found one just like it in a photo at Vegas Jones. It is the blue and green one on the left. It has a clear face so you can see the gears inside.

I always wanted a Jelly Fish Swatch because it was all clear and you could see everything inside instead of just a little bit. But, I noticed after people had them for a while they started turning yellow. Gross! So, I settled on mine instead. I found this Jelly Fish at Watch Report. I had to find these photos online because my Swatch is in my violin case at work. So, now you know fact number 3.

3. I have played the violin for over 20 years. One day my Swatch was bugging me when I was playing so I took it off and stuck it in my case. It has been there ever since. I really have never given it much thought and I don't know why after that day I never had the urge to put it on again. Bizarre!

4. At one time I owned a pair of pink Nikes. I don't mean white with a pink swoosh. I mean pink! I have looked all over for a photo of them but all I can find is this white pair from The Daily Sneaker. My pair looked exactly like this (They even came in the same lovely orange box.) except they were a lavendery/ pink sort of color and had velcro. Oh my, why didn't someone stop me!

5. When I was a kid (probably older than I should have been) I had Rainbow Brite bed sheets. I was only reminded of this because they were on the dryer when I was visiting my parents this weekend! What!? My parents have been cleaning out my grandmother's house. I can only hope they had been given to her to use in her sewing.

6. I used to have a 45 of Material Girl by Madonna. Actually, it is probably still under my old bed at my parent's house. It was probably one of the last 45's made.

7. Chewing gum grosses me out.

I tag:

Finds
Mid Century Modeling
Patterns From The Past
Sophiagurl
Gail
Miss Mish Mash
Lyndon Maxewell

If you've already been tagged please don't do it again and.....if you tag me again I won't be doing it either!

Do You Fondue?

2007-05-03T19:56:00.001-05:00

I found this great little mushroom pot at Nice. I love it because it is sooooo retro looking. The mushrooms totally make me think of the 70's. It sort of looks like a fondue pot I guess. I love fondue. My friend and I always get together for fondue when her husband goes out of town for work since he doesn't like it. I think men consider fondue to be unmanly or something. I tried to convince my mom to fix fondue one night when I was visiting my parents. My dad would have no part of it. He said there was no way he was going to eat meat that had been cooked over a candle!!! A candle???? OK, whatever! There is no way you can argue with that kind of logic! Her 3 year old son was into the fondue but I'm sure that will change someday. I think his interest in the whole thing had to do with roasting marshmallows and not so much with the eating meat part.

Get Electrified!

2007-05-02T21:43:00.000-05:00

After I started looking at The Electric Company clips last night I decided I need to continue the theme for another day! They are ALL so great! I wish I could post all of them here!! That might get a big long though. Just hearing the opening credits gives me such a warm cozy feeling! It's so weird that something you hardly remember the details of can be ingrained so deep inside you somewhere!

I remember thinking The Electric Company was so cool! It wasn't babyish like Sesame Street. Did you know all the kids on the show were called The Short Circus?? I didn't know that at all! I always liked Julie the girl with the long dark hair. I thought her hair was the greatest! And......Irene Cara from Fame was also in The Short Circus.

There were so many famous people like Morgan Freeman, Joan Rivers, Rita Moreno and Bill Cosby on The Electric Company. I've always wondered if they were famous at the time and offered their services because they knew it was a good cause or did the creators of the show just know how to pick the right talent!

Even the PBS station promo at the end of the closing credits makes me happy. When I hear that I feel like I am 5 years old back in my safe, warm, cozy bedroom.

Laundry Day

2007-05-01T19:27:00.000-05:00

So, tonight was laundry night. While I waited for the laundry to get done I was thinking about what my blog would be for the day. I started thinking about all of the great retro laundry detergent commercials. I found this one with a lady from The Electric Company! Do you remember her? She had such a distinctive voice but I can't remember any other specific clips she was in on The Electric Company.

And, how could anyone who was alive possibly forget ring around the collar!!! This is one of those commericals used to instill fear in people about their hygiene habits. Did anyone really ever concern themselves with ring around the collar before this commercial. How many people REALLY have a problem with ring around the collar anyway?? I can't say it's something I ever worry about! The screaming kids and the ladies shocked face remind me of a horror movie.

Speaking of laundry has anyone tried the Cheer dye free, fragrance free detergent?? I decided to get it. I figured no dye and fragrance was a good thing. I don't like all of that stuff. I DON'T THINK IT WORKS! All of my clothes still seem dirty! I'd like to hear anyone else's experience with this detergent. Anyone else have a dye/ fragrance free detergent that actually gets their clothes clean???

Summer Has Arrived

2007-04-30T18:21:00.000-05:00

I think summer has arrived! We set a new record for the temp here today! Even my laptop is making me hot! I need to get one of those lap desks to put it on so I don't feel like I'm going to have a heat stroke every time I use the computer. It's time to go shopping for summer clothes (and a lap desk)! I found this beautiful dress at French Vintage Company. I love the way it fits. It looks so cool and delicate. I also really like the square neck line. Perfect for a day like today! French Vintage Company has a lot of nice items in their shop. Go check it out! If you know where to get a cool retro looking lap desk let me know!

Chicago Chic

2007-04-29T19:57:00.000-05:00

I spent the weekend in Chicago which explains the lack of blog posts the past few days. In honor of my trip I thought I would do a few Chicago shout outs in my blog. I just came across this cool shop located in Chicago called Lasting Values There is some nice bakelite jewelry at this shop. I really like this green marbeled bakelite bracelet.

Speaking of bakelite.....I love the work of this artist I found on MySpace. She has a business called Bakelite Couture. She makes the most beautiful jewelry out of vintage bakelite. I really like this mod looking ring.

These bracelets are just beautiful! If you want to buy me a Christmas present one of these will do!

OK, back to Chicago. I wish I would have had some time to see some Frank Lloyd Wright houses while I was in Chicago. I LOVE his architecture. I would like to see the Robie house sometime. It was completed in 1910 and it looks like it was built yesterday! Talk about being ahead of your time!

Singin' In The Rain

2007-04-24T21:59:00.000-05:00

It's raining and storming here so I was in the mood for vintage rain gear! I came across this cool site called Bella Umbrella. Who knew there was a business in vintage umbrella rental! They are all so pretty! I love this one. It reminds me of a ginkgo leave!

Here is a ginkgo leave I found at Words and Pictures. Can you see the smiliarities??

I like this one too. I thinks it's because it's green. I love green. This umbrella reminds me of oil on water.

This oil and water photo came from Woody Thrower Photography.

This one is beautful! I can just imagine Audrey Hepburn carrying it!

This beautiful black and white Audrey photo came from Leo Fuchs

These umbrellas are just amazing! This one looks like a mushroom.

This beautiful mushroom photo came from Nature Diary.

This umbrella is double sided!!

Celebrate Earth Day In A Retro Way

2007-04-22T15:50:00.000-05:00

I decided I should do a blog in honor of Earth Day. While trying to think of my angle I thought of Smokey the Bear and Woodsy The Owl. When I was a kid I remember how huge these 2 characters were in promoting care for the Earth to kids. I think at one time or another I owned every piece of Smokey the Bear advertising in the photo below. Do these 2 characters even exist anymore? I never see them on TV or any of the other places I saw them as a kid. I found these vintage Smokey and Woodsy advertising items at Vintage Depot Direct. There is a lot of really neat vintage advertising in this store.

What about earth shoes? Did you ever wear a pair of those things?? For your sake I hope not! They are as ugly as can be. But if you are really think you need to have a pair to round out your wardrobe you can get a vintage pair in the orginal box at Dress That Man. They have lots of other cool vintage items also. Take some time and shop around!

I have recently stumbled upon a world of crafters who recycle vintage items to make some of the most amazing art! In the process they are also doing their part to help the environment. One of my favorites is Lori Marsha. Here is some of her amazing work!

Vintage Malls

2007-04-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

My blog today was inspired by Vintage Malls of America. When I started my blog I spent some time Googling other vintage and retro related blogs to see what else is going on in the vintage blog world. I kept coming across this blog called Vintage Malls of America. It was really annoying me because it was coming up at the top of all my searches. I really wasn't interested at all. I couldn't think of any reason why I would be interested in a bunch of big old boxy buildings! What was I thinking? Apparently, I wasn't thinking!

I came across Vintage Malls of America again last night and I finally surrendered! I was drawn in by some creepy store mannequin in the dark and I didn't turn back! I spent more time looking at this blog last night than any other I have ever looked at. I saw an image of a deserted mall with a beat up theatre sign that just made a pang in my stomach. I have no idea why! I think it reminded me of the old mall we used to go to when we would visit my grandparents. We always ate dinner there and got to go shopping for some kind of little treat. It is now on the list of deserted malls. Then I saw more pictures of more malls that made my stomach drop. There were memories of the mall I went to as a kid and the trips we took to the mall in the city. Then there was a picture of an old Sears store from 70's. Again, it resurrected more memories of going to the Sears by Grandma's house. This was back in the day when Sears was a stand alone store. Vintage Malls of America brought up so many memories and emotions. I never realized how many of my childhood memories were connected to malls! It really is so obvious but I just never thought about it!

I was then reminded of some photos I took in the fall. My Grandma had just passed away and we were in town cleaning out her house. We went downtown and I took some photos of the old Kresge store we used to visit as kids. I really don't remember a lot about this store. But, the image of what it looked like is still very vivid in my head. Kresge was a five and dime incorporated in 1912. Kresge and K-Mart were the same company. In the late 1970's K-Mart began taking over. In the late 1980's the last of the Kresge stores were sold to another company. In the late 70's the Kresge near my grandma's house closed. It was like an old fashioned store with a soda fountain and a little eat in dinette. To this day the location of the store is still empty. Someone has painted a mural on the windows of the store. It looks just like it used to. If you look at the mural it almost looks like a real store inside. You would never know that it has been empty for 30 years!

Twelve

2007-04-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

How could any kid not love math with videos like this!! If you watch this video you will be singing the song for days! I never knew it was the Pointer Sisters who sang this!

Finds

2007-04-17T22:11:00.000-05:00

There is something about this pitcher that reminds me of being 5 years old again. I'm not sure what it is! Maybe it reminds me of the gigantic orange and yellow flowered wallpaper that used to be on my grandmas kitchen wall. Anything that reminds me of grandma would have to make me feel good. Whatever it is there is something about this pitcher that is so familiar! Do you ever see things like that? Do you see things from your childhood that look so famliar and make you feel so happy but you have no idea why!

This jewelry box makes me feel the same way. It is so familiar. It reminds me of a Barbie doll dress I once had or maybe an eye glass case my mother used to own. I can't place it yet it's so familiar and makes me feel so happy! Both of these great retro items can be found at Finds vintage store.

Jenn Ski

2007-04-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

I have stumbled across this most amazing artist named Jenn Ski. She has these very retro, mod looking paintings called pods. I love the colors. She also has a background in design. She has a website at jennski.com but it's not finished yet. It just redirects to her design portfolio. Hopefully it will be up and running soon. You can see her work on MySpace
I encourage you to go check out her stuff. I can't wait for her site to be completed. I definitely plan to keep an eye on her. A piece of her artwork would look great in any mod home! I hope to be moving soon. If I can find my dream mid-century modern home I will HAVE to get one of these paintings to adorn it.

Finishing Touches For Prom Night

2007-04-14T17:08:00.000-05:00

OK, I'm back with my finishing touches. I got a photo of my mom's awesome vintage patent leather purse! When I was a kid she always took this purse to church. I HATED it. I thought it was soooo uncool. It reminded me of the "stupid" patent leather Mary Janes she made me wear. These days my opinions on the purse have changed just a little bit. I will absolutely be taking it to prom! I remember entertaining myself at church by looking through my mom's purse. This purse always had wedding programs, funeral cards and weird things like that in it because that was the only time she ever used it!

My prom night will be starting early and ending late! With an early start I'm going to need some hip sunglasses. I really like these vintage bakelite glasses from Online Antiques.

I think I also need a coat for prom night since it SLEETED here last night!! It is April! It should not be sleeting! I'm ready for the sun! I'm not a huge fan of fur but there was something about this coat from Sydney's Vintage Clothing that I kind of liked.

I have looked and looked for some earrings! I can't find ANYTHING! If you know of some cool retro, mod earrings to go with my prom dress let me know about them! Now I just need my prince charming! If you hurry you can purchase my prom goodies before prince charming shows up at my door!

Accessorizing For Prom

2007-04-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

OK, I absolutely love that black dress I posted yesterday from Buffalo Gal Vintage. I'm just going to pretend that my prince charming is coming to take me to the prom!! I'm gonna wear that dress along with these shoes from Prototype Vintage.

I absolutely LOVE these shoes and they are in fabulous condition! I have been searching and searching for earrings to go with this dress but I can't find anything I like! Ugh! I will have to keep looking. My mom has the PERFECT purse for this dress. I'm going to have to get a picture of it so I can post it here! I think I'm going to have to finish my accessory shopping tomorrow. The earrring hunt took me much long than I expected. I will be back soon with more.

Vintage Prom

2007-04-11T22:54:00.000-05:00

I realized today that we are upon prom season so I thought I would surf the web and see what kind of vintage prom dresses are out there. I found this beautiful dress from Posh Girl Vintage I think it would make any girl feel like a princess!

I also think this dress from Memphis Vintage is so pretty! I can just picture Doris Day going to Valentine's dinner in this dress.

I absolutely love this mod dress from Buffalo Gal Vintage. If I was going to prom this is the dress I would want to wear!!!

OK, it's time for bed! Maybe I'll do some more prom shopping tomorrow. I still need shoes and jewelry! I have a very classy looking vintage formal in my eCRATER store. Go check it out if you're in the mood for a vintage prom dress!

Pattern Panache

2007-04-07T22:59:00.000-05:00

I have a friend who has a degree in fashion design. I am so jealous! I wish I could just whip up the perfect outfit that I can't find anywhere at the mall! One day I was at her house and she was showing me this beautiful fabric she had purchased. She wanted to make a vintage 50's style dress out of it. She was trying to sketch a picture for me of the dress she wanted but I just couldn't picture it. She came up with the brilliant idea to jump on eBay and look for a vintage pattern in the style she wanted.

Until then I had never given vintage patterns much thought. But, I LOVE vintage clothes. Often times I will find something I love in the itchiest fabric imaginable! There is just no way I could suffer through wearing it for the whole day. These vintage patterns are the perfect solution!! You can make WHATEVER you want in the most comfy fabric around! How do the rest of you who love vintage clothes deal with the itchy fabric thing? Am I just too sensitive?

I suddenly thought of my grandma's house. I had been there about 2 weeks before and found out she had tons and tons of vintage patterns. They were the coolest styles. My favorite patterns are the 60's mod styles. Most of them are not in my size so I have them listed in my eCRATER store. I love the patterns that have drawings instead of photographs on their covers. The artwork is just beautiful!

I have seen people do the most creative things with vintage patterns. Of course, the obvious is making your own clothes. I have also seen patterns used as wall paper. I think this is such a unique and cool idea. I'm going to have to try it sometime. I have also seen envelopes made of the pattern instruction papers. They were the cutest looking envelopes I'd ever seen. What I Found has a wonderful selection of vintage patterns for anyone who is interested in trying out some of these ideas.

Schoolhouse Rock Rocks!

2007-04-05T23:29:00.000-05:00

I went to a concert tonight that consisted of Schoolhouse Rock songs! I love Schoolhouse Rock! The people who came up with this concept are complete geniuses! I have seen kids sit and watch these videos entranced 30 years after they were produced! And, the music is amazing. I don't know if most people realize that the music was done by some of the best jazz musicians around. One of my favorite Schoolhouse Rock voices is Blossom Dearie. She was a very popular jazz singer who did all of the songs that have that sweet, angelic, child like, little girl's voice. Don't you just love her glasses! My favorite Blossom Dearie song is Number Eight.

Blossom Dearie also did Unpack You Adjective which is probably one of her more popular songs.

I've fallen in love with a new version of Mr. Morton. This is such a great song both new and old! Does anyone know who sings the old version? He is in so many Schoolhouse Rock videos. I have to do a Google seach and find out what his name is.

The new version I love is by Skee Lo. It can be found on the CD of School House Rock covers called School House Rock Rocks!

If you're in a Schoolhouse Rock sort of mood you can get a Schoolhouse Rock t-shirt at Rockit Tees

The Death of Small Town America

2007-04-04T21:45:00.000-05:00

Since I started this blog I've been thinking a lot about how my retro romance got started. I was reminded of an event that took place in my first year of college. At the time I thought I was just getting caught up in the excitement of the moment but I now know it was really one of the things that lead to my love of vintage clothes.

My grandma lives in a very tiny town that has about 1000 people in it. My high school had more people than her whole town! In this town was a Dry Good's store that we all called Gina's because the lady who ran it was named Gina. I think the store had a real name but to me it was just Gina's.

This store was a huge 3 room (I think) building with an apartment above it. Gina lived in the apartment. In the first room on the lower level was drug store items. The next room had shoes and clothes. And, the third room had a bakery. When my mom was little everyone did their shopping at Gina's.

My mom has prom dreses from Gina's. Her brothers got their basketball shoes there. All of the ladies in town got their sewing and quilting supplies there. People got EVERYTHING at Gina's except their groceries! As Gina got older and Wal Mart and Shopping Malls began to take over the country Gina's business started to decline.

I'm sure the bakery was first to go. Then eventually people didn't go to Gina's for their clothes anymore. Why would you do that when you have all the exciting possiblities of a mall? Soon people were going to Wal Mart for their drug store supplies. Why go to Gina's with Wal Mart's everyday low prices?

When I was little a trip to Grandma's house always included a trip to Gina's! Her store reminded me of the store on "Little House on the Prarie" except it was much bigger. It had the wood plank floors that creaked when you walked and high shelves up to the ceiling with a sliding ladder to get to the top. She had the oldest cash register I 've ever seen! It looked like this!

If I was really good and really quiet while the grown ups talked I might get a treat before we left! She had a kid's area with books, small toys and coloring supplies. While the grown ups talked (I think there was more talking than shopping going on at Gina's) I would quietly eye the coloring book or doll I hoped to get. I especially remember one very beautiful plastic charm bracelet!

I didn't realize it but by this time Gina's only business was close friends and loyal community members who might save their birthday card, socks, or sewing purchases for Gina just so that her business would stay open but not much else was being purchased there. When I was a kid I didn't even realize Gina used to have a bakery and I thought the only clothes she sold were men's work clothes and maybe some underwear. Little did I know!

By the time I was in college Gina was too old to be able to run her store anymore. One of the last times I was in her store she was so blind that she thought a dress hanging on a rack was my mother. Gina was a very close family friend and my aunt often helped her in her store. Because of this we had the opportunity to help her clean out her store and purchases some of the last items remaining in her store. We made many, many trips to the store before it was closed. Each time we returned with a new treasure.

This is when I found out about the bakery and all of the other rooms I had never seen! That store was like a time capsule that I never knew existed. It was almost as if time had stopped about 30 years early. One day the customers quit coming and the store came to a stand still! I found the most amazing shoes I had ever seen in my life! If I only had size 4 or 5 feet I would have been the owner of them all for about $2 a pair!

I also discovered beautiful dresses and sweaters hidden away in perfect condition with the tags still on. Unfortunately many of these clothing items were too small for me to wear. I did purchase some dresses that were too special to leave behind even if they didn't fit. Some of these will eventually be listed in my store.

This cardigan sweater is my prized possesion from Gina's! I probably got it for about $2 and it is so cool looking . This picture doesn't do it justice! Every single time I wear it I get TONS of compliments! I'm not 100% sure how old it is. I would guess maybe from the 1960's. Does anyone have any ideas? I looked up the tag at Vintage Fashion Guild Label Resource but it was not listed.

I wish I would have known then what I know now! I would have bought everything, even if the shoes didn't fit! I could have had mannequins and all kinds of cool stuff! It makes me sad when I think of what became of Gina's store. There is no way Wal Mart can ever compare! Vintage Merchant at Ruby Lane has some lovely vintage clothing including some beautiful cardigan sweaters similar to mine. Go check them out! Purchase one and you could also be receiving all of the compliments I get!

The Light Of My Life

2007-04-02T18:49:00.000-05:00

Starting this blog has gotten me thinking about this lamp for the past few days. This is the lamp on my bedside table. I absolutely LOVE it! It has been there for 15- 20 years, long before the rest of my retro romance began! Don't you think this should have been some kind of sign of what was to come? It's kind of like the little gay boy who played with Barbie Dolls! Shouldn't someone have put 2 and 2 together?? (I know, I know! Playing with Barbies dolls doesn't mean you're gay! I'm just sayin!) My dad gave me this lamp. He calls it the mushroom cloud lamp. He got it at some antique shop. That is the cool thing about having a dad who is into antiques. If he gets something that I end up totally falling in love with he will give it to me! It doesn't matter what it is. If he knows I truly love it, it's mine! He isn't this way with everything! Just the antiques! According to him this lamp is probably worth a good amount of money. I'm no lamp expert so I don't know. I just know that every day I fall more and more in love with it. And.....every day I become more and more paranoid about it getting broken, especially now that I have a kitten that is in need of ritalin! This cat who can't weigh more than 7 pounds managed to knock over an entire dresser!! Yes, yes, yes, I know it sounds unbelievable but it's absolutely true. There was some complicated physics involving an open dresser drawer involved in the whole incident. Back to the lamp! Did I say I love it? Every time I move it gets packed in it's own box inside the biggest towel I own which is the size of a blanket. It gets its own special place riding in the car with me. There is no way movers would ever be permitted to touch the mushroom cloud lamp. I also have a fancy self defense plan which involves the mushroom cloud lamp in case some rapist ever breaks into my bedroom in the middle of the night. The base of the lamp is extremely heavy. So........I have decide that if I can keep my wits about me in the heat of the moment, gently remove the shade and place it in the safety of my soft fluffy bed the base of the lamp would be an amazing tool of death to wack some intruder over the head with! If you want your own mushroom cloud lamp you might check out 20thcenturydesignsny. There are some amazing space age items for the home in this shop.

It All Began With Vogue (part II)

2007-03-31T16:50:00.000-05:00

After I fell in love with the vintage Vogue magazines I couldn't just let them sit and gather dust. So, I decided to frame some of my favorite Vogue ads in a display on my bedroom wall.

I also made a way cool retro looking Vogue end table.

www.paperpursuits.com seems to have a nice selection of fashion and design print collectibles.

It All Began With Vogue

2007-03-31T02:01:00.000-05:00

Well, my parents have been dragging me to antique shops since I could barely walk. But, I was never really interested until I had to go to the bathroom in one! I went to the bathroom in an antique shop that had walls completely wallpapered in ads from vintage Vogue magazines. That's when everything changed! I fell in love with the beautiful drawings and photography. And, the sassy outfits the women wore were the best! I immediately began scooping up all of the vintage Vogues I could find! I love the beautiful colors in this cover!

Ahhh, it's a flower child.

Is this woman sassy or what?

Bazaar also has some amazing art work like this oh so cool outfit!

I don't know what's going on here but she sure looks elegant doing it!