Mixed Media

What have you been reading, viewing, or listening to this summer? 

The HST kennel quilt, now finished!

I've been enjoying a few of the classics in books by Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens.  These are things I hadn't read in my youth.  I was motivated to read the book Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy after I saw the movie this spring, the one starring Carey Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts.  Loved the movie, had never read the book.  I found a wonderful free audiobook version on Librivox.  That led to reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, also by Hardy (all free audiobooks linked to the titles, should you wish to explore).  In between the latter two, I also read David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, which I adored.  Now I am making my way through Oliver Twist by Dickens, though I'm not enjoying it quite as much as Copperfield. 

I haven't been to see any summer blockbusters in the theater, but my peepers are getting their share of dramatic action thanks to Masterpiece's Poldark.  

And, oh my, Aidan Turner is enough to give a gal the vapors!  Or was that a hot flash?  Never mind, judge for yourselves:

Mm-hm, that's what I'm sayin'.  Who knew scything could be that kind of hot?

Speaking of Masterpieces, friends and I went to see the Dressing Downton exhibit at the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this past weekend.  Where photographs were not allowed, unfortunately.

On display were many of the costumes of the various Downton Abbey characters we've come to know and love.  The real deal, genuine article duds!  That I could not take pictures of! 

But, oh, they were exquisite.  Mary's riding costume, Matthew's army uniform, Lord Grantham's stunning red wartime uniform, and dresses, dresses, dresses!   The beading and stitching and other details were to swoon for.  The clothes were all posed elegantly on (headless but not creepy) mannequins throughout the rooms of the grand old mansion of the Paine Art Center.  What fun to see!

(Image Source)

Afterwards, we walked the impeccable gardens of the grounds outside the mansion and mooned over the flora and foliage.

Here we are below, ignoring the rules of photographic composition in posing the tallest member of our posse (that would be me on the left) next to the shortest (dearest friend Kathy).  But friends shouldn't let friends have to stare at your belly button.  This was not my idea, folks.  However, with a volunteer poised at the ready with my camera and my sister saying we should just "be bookends," I assumed my position on the end.  Do not do this at home.

Which brings me to a new show on TLC this summer that I have begun to watch, against my better judgment, but now I am sucked in:  My Giant Life.

I mean, as a woman nearly 6'3" myself, I basically live this show, so why do I need to watch it?  Well, because it's about people, dang it, and people interest me.

I watched Little People, Big World all those years, not because they were vertically challenged, but they were interesting.  The ladies of My Giant Life are no different.

But seriously?  Can they quit with the unflattering camera angles?  Here is Colleen, who is 6'6", and they are shooting her from the view of Lilliputians.  Get off the floor, camera crew—and find that woman a decent chair!

Here too is 6'9" Lindsay, who is apparently being shot by poodle-cam.

*Sigh*  

Anyway, here's me and my lovely sister Nita below.  Do not call me a giant or I'll step on you.  Kidding!  I'll just pick you up by the collar and give you a little shake.  ;)

Totally kidding, I don't have that kind of upper body strength.

I am strong enough, however, to hold my grandniece Cali on her first birthday, as she explored the heart-shaped chocolate muffin her Grandma Nita made.  

She is such a cutie!  Most of that muffin ended up on her clothes and mine and whoever else came into her magnetic little tractor beam.

Now this...

This kohlrabi is a true giant.  Dad grew a row of this giant hybrid variety in his garden, and they were delicious!  Big as a cabbage, where normally kohlrabi are the size of a tennis ball.  Not woody either, but tender all the way through.

How does your garden grow?  Mine is looking kind of raggedy about now, but the potted coleus out front is showing off.  I just moved it to the birdbath/plant stand on the front porch so that trailing stuff (that I can't remember the name of) that I planted with it has a place to flow.

As far as what I'm listening to this summer, other than audiobooks, I'm enjoying some of the music of Florence + The Machine, Ryn Weaver, this song by Twenty-One Pilots, and for the orchestral jazz fusion king of thing, this song by Snarky Puppy.  Yep, that's a pretty random smattering.

Oh, and I've been meaning to share a video.  Earlier in the summer, my brother Russ flew his drone camera over the area where my dad lives and captured some footage of the surrounding marsh wetlands and farms, which he then set to music.  You can see it HERE.  I find it very serene and relaxing.  Perhaps you will enjoy it too.

As far as sewing, what's that?  Nah, I'm working on a little of this and that, but altogether not much.  I made another little kennel quilt top yesterday, from more scrubs.  Went with a simple low volume version this time.

And up top of this post, you see that I got the last kennel quilt quilted and bound.  I used some wild 1980s or '90s tropical yardage I found on a shelf while putting the basement back in order after getting rid of the damp spot a couple weeks ago.  Serendipity!

How about you?  When you look back on the Summer of 2015, what images will come to mind?  Will there be an accompanying soundtrack?  Any particular smells conjured up in memory—a smoky barbecue, your rose garden, suntan lotion, mosquito repellant?  Feel free to share in the comments!

Overcoming Resistance

I was talking with friends on Saturday, commiserating about finishing unpleasant or boring tasks.  We weren't talking about cleaning bathrooms, but stuff like finishing the hand quilting on a big, heavy quilt or the outlining stitches on a cross stitch project.  We agreed that setting a finite amount of time each day to work on it was one effective method.  I mentioned the "I can do anything for 15 minutes" tactic that I have used.  It has gotten me over the hump of straight-up resistance and into the realm of action.  Once I'm doing the dreaded task, I can either choose keep going beyond the 15 minutes or quit when the timer beeps (yes, a timer is essential), knowing that at least I got started and have achieved at least some small sense of accomplishment.

Enter the timer today, for the long-procrastinated-on task of listing ugly Christmas sweaters on eBay.  That's the title of each listing, too, "Ugly Christmas Sweater..."  Apparently, there are holiday parties where this is the dress code.  Have you been to one of these?  I haven't but it sounds like a heck of a lot of fun!

So, over the past year, I picked up a few candidates for ugliest Christmas sweater on my thrifting adventures.  Norm says he will believe it when he sees any one of them sell, and with something like 30,000 plus current listings, there is certainly some stiff competition.  But I feel it's a good sign that I already have three people watching this one, which I don't even think is the best (or worst) one. 

Hang On Cats

My personal favorite is this one.  Holy snow globes, Batman!

Snow Globe City

And if this vest doesn't sell, I am seriously thinking of wearing it to our family Christmas party.  It is just awfully awesome!  And as an added bonus, it gives me a festive boxy shape!  :P

Let's Get Vest-ive!

Anyway, the timer...I set it for 30 minutes.  Then another 30, and another, and another.  Two hours it took me, gah!  But it's done now, so yay!

(We won't talk about all those leopard print and ruffly blouses I have yet to list.  One thing at a time.)

Sunday Sundry 7-22-12

The Good, the Bad, and the Owie

Good:  Look what came in the mail yesterday!  Cynthia of Home Matters 1st made me a shirt!  It is cute, cute, cute!  

She did such wonderful embroidery with the little owls and their sewing accessories.  Aren't they adorable?

The shirt color is one of my favorites, and it fits perfectly!  

Never mind my weird expression.  I was yammering at my husband giving him tips on how to take a decent picture, to let the camera auto focus before mashing down on the button (impatient much?), stand on the same level so he's not looking up at me like the Statue of Liberty (he didn't listen), and don't snap the picture with my eyes closed or mouth open (to which he responded, "Well, shut up then.")  Hmph!

But back to the shirt - I LOVE IT!  Thank you so much, Cynthia, for your thoughtfulness, time and talent, and generosity!!

Bad:  Well, it's not that bad but just to keep it real, I thought I'd tell you a thrifting tale that didn't pan out the way I expected—a thrifting fail.

In other words, not every pick is a winner.

Stopped at the St. Vinny's yesterday and found they were having a 50 percent off store-wide sale.  I actually didn't find much, but I did spy an interesting piece of framed art that appealed to me, first of all, in its colors and, secondly, in its primitive/folk aesthetic.  It looked, from this side of the glass in the frame, to be an original signed watercolor by someone named "Doris," which was all of the signature I could read because the mat seemed to be covering up the rest of it.  Being that it was priced higher than just about every other piece of framed art, I was obviously not the only one thinking along those lines.

It had some condition issues, but I dunno...my mind started churning up all those Antiques Roadshow stories where some lowly piece of folk art found in a dilapidated barn somewhere fetched megabucks.  I don't usually let my imagination run wild, but it looked like a signed original watercolor, and did I mention 50 percent off?

Well, you can probably guess where this is going.  Yep, took it home, out of the frame, only to find that it was a print, maybe from a magazine, not an original.  It had been glued (the never-going-to-come-apart kind of glued) onto foam core board, and the colors had badly faded to boot.

I do still like the subject of the piece and found out a little about the artist, full name Doris Lee.  I'm sure the lesson learned and knowledge gained is worth at least what I paid for the piece, but it's sure not the find I can retire on.  Dream on!

The print is going in the garbage and I'll keep the glass frame to reuse.  I do still like the colors, faded as they are, so I'll keep the photo of it for inspiration.  Seems like they might work well together in a quilt.

Owie:  Do you say "owie" or "ouchy"?  It was early morning when I banged my left toe on something hard and immobile, so I bit my tongue rather than say anything.  I just winced and tried to walk it off, thinking that'll be another bruise.  Mind you, it doesn't take much.  I bruise like a banana.

As the day has worn on, it has gotten worse.  I sit here with ice on my left next-to-pinkie toe and am pretty sure I broke it.  It hurts like a (mother- or son-, you fill in the blank) and is swollen and turning colors.  I don't think there is much one can do for a broken toe, according to Dr. Google, except ice and stay off it.  Oh, and whine to the internets.  Check, check, and check.

By this time next week, (in addition to my toe feeling better) I hope to be done working on the project for my dad and ready to make some noise in the sewing room again.  It's been nothing but *crickets* in there.

Favorite Things Friday ~ Pins

I suppose the more accurate, fancy word for them is brooches.  But I have a hard time with the word brooch.  For one thing, it doesn't sound like it looks, although why that should bother me, I don't know; the entire English language is filled with words that don't sound like they look.  

So to keep it simple, I just call them pins.  I like them.  They're my favorite thing this week!

I'm not big on wearing jewelry, in general.  I wear no rings, and necklaces only occasionally.  I'd rather put a pretty pin on my sweater.  Here are a few from my jewelry box.

A lot of these are old, as in outdated (maybe most), but I still keep them.  I wore the pink one on a fuchsia sweater set to work last week.  It's one of my favorites.

Some are old, as in antique.  This one on my wool dress coat, for instance, came from my late mother-in-law.  

The green one is also one of my favorite antique pins.  It the only one I've bought from an antique jewelry vendor.  

None of these are expensive.  I just like them for one reason or another and have kept them to enjoy now and then.

If you're old enough to remember the late '80s or early '90s and big, poufy shoulder pads, you might also remember pins that looked like medals.  Was the military look in back then?  All I can think of is Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation.  I played the heck out of that CD.

The fish pin is another from my mother-in-law, but it's not that old.  I love the colorful enameling—cloisonne, if you're fancy.  (Miss Jackson, if you're nasty... I've got that song lyric in my head now.)

The swan pair is a set I think I got for Christmas probably 30 years ago.  Does that make them (and me) antique too?  Don't answer that!

Here's another real cheapie (but blingy) snowflake from mom-in-law.  No, I haven't pinned the family pet, silly, that's a fake fur collar on a sweater vest.

That's it for my last Favourite Things Friday linkup of the year.   Thanks for visiting!  Feel free to head over to Quilting in my Pyjamas for a look at other fab faves!

Edited to add:  I just had to add this.  Still love it!  I like her pins too!

The Pyramid Supper Club

I caught the tail end of a documentary on PBS last weekend about Wisconsin Supper Clubs.  What's a supper club, you ask?  I think the folks in the trailer for the film (below) probably explain it best, but according to Wikipedia:

A supper club, in general, refers to a dining establishment that also functions as a social club...Supper club in United States is an American dining establishment generally found in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.  These establishments typically are located on the edge of town in rural areas.  They were traditionally thought of as a "destination" where patrons would go to spend the whole evening, from cocktail hour to enjoying night club style entertainment after dinner.  They feature a casual and relaxed atmosphere.

So it's a restaurant, but more.

 

(Image: Wisconsin Historical Society)

Here in this area, we had the Pyramid Supper Club.  Established in the early 1960s, it featured an Egyptian theme, right down to its pyramid-shaped architecture and interior decorations in Egyptian motifs.

The above postcard is from our family collection.  The woman at the front table is my mother (the man next to her, according to my dad, was a salesman recruited for the shot).

(Image Source)

Americans were becoming fascinated with all things Egyptian at that time, in part due to the Tutankhamun Treasures exhibit that had begun touring museums and galleries across the country in 1961.  The 1963 movie, Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, undoubtedly added to the fervor.

So a pyramid-themed supper club in the middle of a cornfield in Wisconsin?  Hey, why not.  It was indeed a very successful establishment while under its original ownership and management for several decades.  

My mother worked at the Pyramid from its early days, first as a waitress and later a bartender and hostess.  (I also worked there briefly in the late '70s as a coat check).  Here are some of the uniforms my mom wore through the years.  

Hemlines were going up (as were the hairdos) during this period in history, and these uniforms tell the tale!

My mom helped design and sew several of the uniforms for herself and other waitresses.  I particularly remember the unique fitted number with the pleated skirt and shoulder scarf.  She had to order several bolts of white polyester double-knit and yards upon yards of teal and gold ribbon trim.  We had quite the flurry of activity at our house for several weeks that year, waitresses coming and going through her sewing room door to be measured and fitted.  It was all quite entertaining!

And here is one of the first miniature menus.  This one is dated 1962.  Check out those prices!

I hope to watch the Wisconsin Supper Clubs movie in its entirety at some point.  Since the Pyramid had already closed, it wasn't part of the film but is mentioned on the film's website.  I am happy to have fond memories of the place and its fine people, and an appreciation for the role it played in both the local economy and our family's.

Brandy Old Fashioned, anyone?

I'll be linking to Vintage Thingie Thursday at Colorado Lady. Click to visit for more fun and fascination from time gone by!

Vintage Wedding Photos

I love looking at old wedding photos -- the style of dress, the hairstyles, flowers, and accessories. Too bad about the somber facial expressions on what was undoubtedly a happy occasion. As I understand it, the reason for that was due to the long exposure time required, so folks were not encouraged to say "cheese." Think of them as smiling on the inside.

Not all wedding dresses were white, but when you're looking at old black and white photos, like this one of my husband's great-great-grandparents, married in 1879, you have to use your imagination.

What color do you think her dress was? Black? Brown? Navy?

By the time the next generation of the family got married, the bride did wear white. This is Norm's great-grandparents, married in 1909. Just look at her tiny waist! If she's wearing a corset, it's a wonder she could breathe.

I have somehow amassed a large collection of old photos passed down from relatives through the years. Unfortunately, I can't identify them all. You have to bear in mind, when you inherit a collection of photos, that not all of them are of relatives. Sometimes there may be wedding photos of friends, etc.

I'm not sure who this happy couple is, but I'm guessing it dates to about the late 1890s or early 1900s. Do you think her dress was white or something else? Dove gray? A soft pastel? I love the groom's Cosmo Kramer thing going on with his hair.

There are a couple of relatives in this bridal party from 1912. The groom is my great-grandfather's half brother, and standing behind him is a great-aunt.

These next couple photos are from between about 1917 and 1931, beginning with my husband's grandparents. They weren't married yet here, just attendants for a mutual friend's wedding.

Love the elaborate veils and headwear.



Norm's mom and dad in 1948:

My parents in 1956:

Mom made her wedding dress. It was a beautiful light blue.

Finally, this is Norm and I on June 17, 1983, twenty-seven years ago. Happy anniversary, hon!

The wedding dress I made was an ivory jacquard print, tea-length, with a ribbon belt. I wore my hair in an updo; Norm wore his au naturel. My brother Russ was rocking the Barry Gibb look at the time.

Hope you've enjoyed the wedding photos! Thanks for visiting, and be sure to visit all the sites linked at coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday!