Addicted to Dancing with the Stars

I admit it I'm addicted.  Tonight I watched a wonderful bit.  J.R dancing with Karina to "Jump Jive and Wail"  I LOVED IT!!!  I have to agree that it was more Lindy hop but as we'll never see the Lindy on DWTS I don't care!  IT WAS A 10 FOR ME!!!  I love when they put fun bouncing numbers in (with twists of rockabilly) instead of taking slow dances and doubling the tempo. 
Anyone else out there a DWTS addict?

Busy month

This has been a very busy month.  I decided at the last minute that I am going back to school after taking 15 yrs off.  I've been very lax at posting as my interests are eclectic at best.  Reading has been taking up a lot of time.  I'm on book 5 of the Game of Throne series, A Dance with Dragons.  Each of George Martin's books is longer then the last and what an author.  If you've caught the HBO series of Game of Thrones, pick up the book, there are whole sections that they took word for word.  I'll try and post more soon, hopefully with a few hair pics (that is as soon as I get it cut again).

Take care of you and don't give up on me, I'll be back soon! 

Button, button whos got the button?

My family is having my grandparents estate auction this weekend.  I went down last weekend and helped move a loom my grandfather redid from an antique loom (that was beyond it's last leg).  It's in the sale, I kinda wish it wasn't but oh well.

Mom took me in the house and her and I went through Grandma's fabric and a few other things.  I took her box of buttons, thus this post.  I started looking at them this evening and sorting them.  I need to do some research on Bakelite buttons, I think I may have a few.  One tip I learned from her box of buttons.  Any time you are throwing something out that is worn through, cut those buttons off first.  I have a HUGE pile that I'm needing to cut the fabric off.

So far I've been sorting for over an hour, and wow.  WOW.  If your Grandparents are around, give them a hug (then offer to help clean out a closet!)

It's been a busy month

So sorry for the lack of posts lately.  I've just been going like a bee on speed.  I finally got my hair cut.  I'll have to get some pics later this week after I have time to do it for a photo shoot.  While out shopping today I found a shirt dress at JC Penny.  One problem, the women's sizes were off, I think I'm going to just sew myself one.  I think I'll be doing a wrap dress too.  Pictures will be coming, until then, stay out of the heat and love someone!

Rebirth, The Eye of Chaos!

I finished it.  Only took me 15+ yrs to do it.  A high school boyfriend put his idiot fingers into wet paint.  I fixed the finger streaks he rubbed in it, and added a few touches.  It's amazing how much an artist grows over the yrs.
I gotta share!!!

2 GREAT tips from my Grandmother via Mom

So I have to share these tips for the sewing bee in all of us.  My grandmother past away last summer and family have slowly and surely been cleaning out Grammie's house.  My mom was telling me about her sewing room and the items Grammie had tucked away.  One thing was the homemade dress form aka the body dummy.  Grammie's was a paper mache form that she had someone help her make and then she attached it to a wooden tree. (I so need to get a pic of it!)  I mean these days everyone is on a budget, and who has $150 to $300 for a body dummy.  I have no idea when Grammie made it but she still kept it around, and I assume used it.

The second tip Grammie via Mom shared was felt.  I don't mean the 8.5X11 sheet size either. Grammie has copied her favorite patterns onto the BIG felt and with a permanent marker marked down the bits of instructions, which pattern it was ect.  Those have lasted years vs the maybe if your lucky 5 times tissue patterns.  If you find one you love I highly recommend getting some of the big felt and making yourself your master copy.   So those are my helpful tips for a bit.  I'll try and get pics to share soon

Gotta share!!!

I stumbled a site the other day (stumble-upon evil or blessing?)of the history of fashion.  WOW.  If you have time I highly recommend checking it out!
http://www.fashion-era.com/

I just don't know what I want to look at first!

Another snood...

Well I've finished another snood.  I'm getting more creative and more confident in my crocheting. 

The next snood I'm doing is this one in red...

If you want the crochet instructions click this link  http://www.knitting-crochet.com/crochet/persno.html

If anyone has any great instructions for crochet or knitting that you want to share let me know!
Karoline

My first snood

Well I finished one project.  A snood.  This took me a while as I've never crocheted before so it was a learning process.  I also didn't use a pattern, I just played and I have to say, it came out pretty good for my first one.

Now, where to wear it?!?

A goal for my site...

I have a goal of June 1st to get some pics up.  Of me in my ren garb, everyday photo's and of some of my projects and or art.  It's been a bit crazy the last 2 weeks and I hope to get some stuff up here.  Maybe even some finished projects (miracle there...me getting any project done)  Check back, hopefully I'll have a few post soon.

Karoline aka Kay

My late-renaissance Italian gown.

Well for the most part it's done.  I may make a different chemise to go under it but otherwise it's done...

These pics don't really show off the sleeves that well, I'll have to try for better one.  There is a pale yellow in it, and 4 shades of blue .  I found this gossamer white/silver ribbon to attach the sleeves.  I still might even do some more beading.  I'll try and see if the mister won't take a pic of me in it soon.

I want!!!

I love to sew, I love to do a lot of things.  Tonight one of the blogs I follow had posted a pic of a dress she just made.  So while looking at that pattern I found 3 others.  Simplicity pattern 6020, 6910, and 6966.  YUM.  I love the sweetheart neckline on 6020 B.  I think I might just have to get out my trusty sketchbook and create me some outfits.  I'm a big girl, well not too big just 2X but when looking at retro fashions...I might as well be big as a house or at least I feel that way.  I've found that sometimes just playing with a sketchbook and a general design, I somehow can create patterns without buying one.  If I get the courage and time, I'll have to make something and post a pic soon. 

Nite all!

Being a hopeless romantic

I freely admit I'm a hopeless romantic.  I got up on Friday April 29th at 4:30 am to watch the wedding of Prince William to his Catherine.  What a beautiful wedding for two people that are obviously very much in love!  I never realized how much of a romantic I am until being at work and told to basically shut up.  My coworkers were "glad it's over", "don't know why we should care" and other snide comments.  Here I was just enthralled.  I made the comment that with all the bad news to have a bit of hope and happiness for a day...and was ridiculed for it. 
To all of you that watched the wedding and were just as enthralled, GOOD FOR YOU!!!  I love the fact that her dress was so similar to Grace Kelly's, as soon as I saw it I felt like I'd seen it before.  It only took about 2 mins before a commentator said Princess Grace's dress and it clicked.  For any re-creator of styles whether it be from the 1400's for a festival or a twist on the 40's like rockabilly we understand the draw of fashion and taking a style we like and adding a splash. 
Congrats to the happy couple!

End of my vacation...lots of movies this week

Well somehow I ended up in bliss tonight.  Old movies, brownies and quiet.  Just finished "Here comes the Groom" with Bing and Jane Wyman 

 Go figure, Edith Head creations to drool over.  Pic up on the screen now..."Gentleman Marry Brunettes" with my fav actress Jane Russell!

Costumes by Christian Dior well at least some of them...no matter what.WOW.  I'm sure there will be more films later til then.  Ta ta

Catching myself, and sharing!

So this evening I've been scanning through Shorpy and notice myself stopping at the pics from the 30's + for the hair and clothes.  I highly recommend checking out Shorpy.com but be prepared to loose a few hours.

Watched 'Ball of Fire'

I watched  Ball of Fire tonight.  With Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. 

Edith Head's creations.  Her nightclub dress, the shirt dress (see above) and the final dress.  Not a big job on the outfits but still a great example of the 40's.    Her hairstyle really showed different ways to style those 'betty bangs'.  Oh I wish my hair was longer and thicker.

As much as I enjoyed this film, I liked the remake with Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo much better. 
'A Song Is Born' 

Irene Sharaff did the clothes on this remake...The biggest difference between the two movies, the remake had all the great musician's of that time graced the golden screen and did it jive!!!

It seemed that even then Hollywood was out of ideas that they didn't even wait 10 yrs before doing a remake.

What's your favorite remake?

Hair...gettting that look, or not

Well I've been trying for the last few weeks to get my hair into a retro look...so far I've ended up with the light-socket hair (aka fried curls) The pony tail as nothing else is working or just a simple sweep-back of the curls and pinned with a bobby on each side. The last has earned me a few compliments. I hope to find my camera soon to post a pic. I've done the sweep-back with either my foam curled(slept in) or the hot rollers. After a quick comb out, do the flip and spray. Then I pin right behind the ears and use a bit of pomade to smooth the top a bit and off I go. It's actually an easy style and the best I found a pic of my grandmother a while back from right after my grandparents got married. My hairstyle is VERY similar to hers!

A nod to the greats.

When anyone looks to the glamor and designs of old Hollywood, there is one name that many know.  Edith Head.  Her designs, creations and more.  A girl could die happy! 
All About Eve 

But while doing some research on Ms Head I came across a few others that created some of the outfits in my favorite movie. Walter Plunkett's designs for Kiss Me Kate

Irene Sharaff's   An American in Paris

And one more,  Helen Rose and High Society.  But she's better known as the designer of Grace Kelly's wedding dress.

I could keep going.  Wow.  The colors, fabrics, design...the glamor. 

What's your favorite movie? Designer? or Actress/Actor?