Merry Christmas Everyone

Well this is my fourth day of Christmas (and the last) as we went to the In-Laws Cabin this weekend to celebrate with them and it was lovely not just the picturesque views of the frozen lake but also the the food and holiday cheer.  We had Christmas Eve early on Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Santa made an extra stop for the kids.  We returned home yesterday and celebrated at my sisters house with her family and my parents.  More holiday cheer and presents.  Oh yes my sister made a lovely cake for my oldest Birthday as he is a Christmas eve baby (OK not a baby anymore he is now officially a TWEEN).     Finally Santa visited our house this morning and brought more presents for the kids and this afternoon we will go to my Mom and Dads for more food and cheer (how is a girl supposed to take off any weight at this time of year).  I hope you all have a lovely Christmas.  Take Care, Susan

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

At least that is what my youngest son thinks he asked me today if it was Christmas as we have finally gotten a substantial snowfall.  We had to explain that snow does not equate Christmas.  But it was a pretty snowfall and as it is the first major one and it happened on a Sunday when we don't have to try to commute to work through it, we can say how lovely it is.

Now I think I have shared before what a bit fan I am of Flamingos both inside and out.  I also am a fan of most forms of Kitschy yard art (yes gnomes are also a big passion for me).  So I thought I would take advantage of the pretty snow blanketing our yard and take some yard art photos.  I hope you enjoy.

This is my favorite whirligig, pink flamingos with Carmen Miranda style fruit hats.

This last on is my favorite picture of the day I love that the ladybug whirligig looks like it is thumbing its nose to winter.  Lady Bug don't care.......

Happy Winter to all.

Decking the Halls

Hazel the Bunny

Today the boys and I decided it was time to pull out the Christmas season.  I had to do some improvisation this year as our new addition to the family (Hazel the bunny) has a chewing habit so   we had to make some adjustments.  Normally I have a vintage aluminum tree but when my sons were small we had to substitute a smaller prelit pink vintage inspired tree.  So with the bunny hopping about the house on occasion (she usually gets some hop time in the morning right before we leave for the day and in the evening when we come home she is a free range house bunny.  But bunnies are bunnies and they do like to chew.  I thought a tree a little up and out of the way might be the safer way to go.  So here is the results what do you think (I had a couple helpers)?  Have you decorated yet?  Do you have a special tradition?  I don't have all stockings up as I have been wanting to get new or make new stocking for years and well I still haven't done it but this may be the year.

Oh and we had a special "Jolly" Visitor.  What do you think does she not just look over joyed to be playing santa???

Have a holly jolly time decorating!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving to All hoping you all have a fabulous day whether you are eating turkey or not.  One thing I am saying thanks for today is all of you that read my blog today is my 100th post wow pretty good for someone who is not a writer.  Thanks For all your lovely comments.  Hope you and all of years have many things to be thankful for in the upcoming year.

Thank you again, Susan

Mr Living Vintage

Today, I thought I should introduce my partner in crime.  This is my fabulous husband who has told me never to call him the hubby in any post or other referrals to himself .  He keeps me laughing regularly   He helps me keep the ship floating on most days and he puts up with my antics.  I don't think I could have found a better match.  He has always enjoys vintage escapades with me but has started to become even more interested in his own dressing we have found him some suits and he now even owns a full tux but we are still searching for one of those old school Dickeys (the ones with out the ruffles).  He repairs cars and radios.  He can fix just about anything.  He is very generous, this year he bought me a trip to Maui for my birthday (totally unexpected) so it looks like we won't be going to Viva this year (anybody need tickets or a room at the Orleans?).  Ladies I felt like it took me a long time to find him so if you are out there looking don't give up.

Here we are on our Wedding Day

Halloween Fun

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So as Halloween which has been my favorite I love the dressing up and carving pumpkins.  The appeal decorations appeal to my dark side.  Although I have to say that I dress up less and decorate inside less but I have been finding lots of inspiration to dress up recently.  Pinterest has become my new favorite computer activity lately when I have the free time.  Here is some Halloween inspiration from my Pinterest board.

I think i might do some zombie nails this week.

My husband and I are talking of doing a day of the dead bride and groom costume together.

How fabulous is this make up!!!!

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Happy Halloween Everyone!!!!

Kitchen Remodel Ideas

Our House is a Rambler built in 1959.  The person that we bought our house from unfortunately was a house flipper.  He did some things in our house that we would not have sanctioned and wish he hadn't done but it was a very tough housing market and well we generally like the house.  The flipper did modernize our kitchen.  He ripped out the original cabinets and put in new cheap more "modern" cabinets.  He also put in all new stainless appliances, none of which have worked well. The ice maker on the refrigerator leaked into my sewing area in basement and I had to toss a box of notions.  The built in microwave door is starting to losen up and it is making strange noises and well the stove is a flat top glass and well it takes me an hour and half to boil water to can.  I know most people would love to move in to a house and have brand new appliances but I would rather have a kitchen that had never been changed in 50 years.  So I have been looking at vintage ovens on craiglist at first my husband wanted electric and they are very difficult to find as most people bought gas in the 1950s.  My husband finally agreed (after he started home brewing) that the electric stoves are much harder to control the temp and perhaps we should find a gas stove.

Besides appliances the other thing I don't like about our kitchen is that it is dark and even though it is on the South East corner of the house which should be nice and sunny it is very dark.  I don't think this is helped out at all by the dark brown counters the flipper put in with a black sink.  So I have been looking at some 50s adds for kitchens looking for ideas for mine.

Ok the one above is by far my favorite.  So much so I am considering painting my cabinets the same color as the walls.  

Love the matching colored appliances!!  

OK, I gotta say yellow kitchens are not my thing (not that I haven't seen a few that haven't made me rethink my position on this.  But I love about this one is the floor tile and how it leads you around the counters.

My Pinterest Kitchen Page

Glamping on my Mind

Oh My Where did September Go?

Well at the end of this month I found I have been having thoughts of  Glamping.

First the Glamping: It all started with an invite from The Hometown Victory Girls to go  the International Glamping Weekend on June 1st and 2nd of 2013.  My first thought was Yes I want to do this!!! My second thought was oh no the Silver Streak.  Why oh no?  Well my husband and I purchased a 1969 Silver Streak Trail about 4 years ago.  The first year we were all gung ho about it we took it to my in laws lake place and camped out in it as they were in the process of rebuilding the cabin.  When we brought it home in the fall it had some unwanted guest that had moved in.  Then over the winter things got worse and looking inside in December there was ice on the floor.  So we had a few problems.  I have to say that we have neglected the poor thing over the last few years a few half-hearted attempts at trying to discourage mice but not enough. Well with this invite (I have to say I have been preparing to go glamping for years) and the arrival of Mary Janes book which I found both helpful and encouraging (which was so much more than I had expected) I decided enough was enough. So yesterday I asked my husband to help me solve one of the leaking problems and together we took out one of the windows that we suspected was the culprit of the worst leak and re-caulked it.  Them we put some wire mesh be hind the refrigerating venting because it looked like something a mouse could easily squeeze through those vents and then we noticed a nice big round hole under that venting that looked like it would be even more inviting to mice and we sealed that off with wire mesh.  Then I got under the camper and started looking around. I think I may have found a few more spots we have to seal off but it was exciting to finally start getting serious about it as I think it would be quite fabulous to actually take it places.  Which brings me to the next thing I had a talk with Mr Living Vintage about, pulling a trailer.  I have never done it.  Not on a small trailer or anything.  Now how am I going to do this?  If I go the international Glamping weekend he will have to work on Saturday so it would be me doing this by myself.  We decided that we should borrow his friends car trailer to have me practice pulling and hitching etc.... before I take on the 28 foot camping trailer with my 59 Brookwood Wagon.You know at the end of the night my husband said he had a good time doing a project together with me.  Yeah!!!! We do need to do more of these things next time we need to get the kids out off their duffs with us too.

Here is a picture of the Brookwood with the Silver Streak.  Don't they look like they belong together?

Exterior 

Interior Front

Interior back

Ok so things that need to be done to make it road worthy

1. Replace the tires

2.  Put larger springs in the Brookwood to beef up the suspension for hauling

3.  Learn to pull a trailer and park a trailer.

4.  Continue recaulking all windows and hatches.

5.  Continue to plug up mouse holes and remove current squaters.

6.  But cover for air conditional as bee's seem to love to nest in it.

7.  Replace Water tanks and current Plumbing.

8.  Complete floor project in back of trailer.

9.  Complete Wall backsplash in kitchen area.

10 Do something about that couch bed in the front.

11. Make curtains for windows.

OK what do you think?  A bit ambitions by June?  I think it is and I don't expect it all to be done by then as I live in a cold climate and well November to March will probably be too cold to do any outdoor projects.  Well I hope to at least check off the first 5 items on the list by then.  I think once the mouse and leaking problems are solved it will be much easier to start working on the last 6 items on the list.  What do you all think?  Do you have any advice or suggestions?

Have a great weekend all.  Susan

Big Bunny and Small Car

I love bunnies!

Doris Day with a bunny

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This is the latest edition to our household dubbed Professor Klaus Von Hoppenstein but mostly called bunny right now.  He is a Flemish Giant right now at 2 months old he is as big as most the wild adult rabbits we see in our yard. His mom was 15 pounds and his dad was 18 pounds so he will be quite a large bunny.  We are house training him and (keep your fingers crossed) so far so good we just need to see what corner of his pen he wanted to use and put his litter box there and he has been using it.  He is a super friendly sweet little guy so far and the whole family (except the cat who runs away from him) is enamored.

The other edition to our household is the small MG Midget above.  I had to juxtapose it with my 59 wagon because the size difference is so funny.

(still bumper to bumper in front)

 Mr Living Vintage says he bought it for me but I think perhaps he may have bought it a bit for himself (he has always wanted a convertible).  It is a 72 MG Midget.  It is so fun to drive, as I really enjoy driving a manual and this is the only one we have well and it is a convertible.  I have to say I laugh at it a bit when I see it in the garage stall my 59 wagon usually occupies because it is so ridiculously small in comparison.

Other than these two fun events I am back at work as summer break is over so you may see fewer post than  August but my goal is at least 2 a month.  Take Care Readers till next post.

Super Sewing Inspiration: Gretchen Hirsch

(Picture Taken From Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing)

Vintage Sewist Rejoice!!!
So yesterday the mail carrier brought me my brand new copy of  Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing.  Now I have lots of sewing books (I am kind of like having books) lots my sewing books are project based.  I have to say that I don't think any of them can compare to Gretchen Hirsch book.  It starts with lots of good instructions and how to's for the vintage sewist.  Normally in sewing project books I might like to make 1/3 or less of the projects included.  Not so with Gretchen's book I can see myself making 95% of the projects and I the book looks like it gives fabulous how to on the techniques needed not just for these projects but for  any vintage sewing projects.  I just can't tell you how excited I am about this book and its 25 vintage inspired patterns.  I have a project I have to finish first and I am starting back at work on Monday (my summer is done, boo hoo) but I plan to start working on a pin tucked a line skirt soon as I can manage.

On top of that Today she posted on her blog (if you are not a subscriber you really need to go take a look here) that she has designed a new line of patterns for Butterick Pattern Company and they put her on the cover!!!  All I can say is congratulations Gretchen on putting out your book, your patterns, and making the cover of Butterick catalog.

(Picture Taken From Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing)

Up at the Cabin

This week we took a trip to the cabin.  Here's a bit about the cabin.  My in laws (lovely people by the way) bought a cabin in western Wisconsin about 4 years ago.  It is on a modest lake and the original cabin was modest too.  Unfortunately with in the first year after trying to gut it to fix many of it's issue my in laws came to the determination that the cabin was in such poor disrepair they just weren't sure what could be done with it. After meeting many times with contractors and trying to get a construction plan passed with the county it was determined that because the original cabin was built too close to the lake for modern standards that the only way they were going to be completely happy with the rehab was to tear down the original cabin and to build a totally new one.  So down came the original cabin and up went a new one.  Luckily my in laws had truly loved the little old cabin they had bought and tried to keep they new cabin very similar but just slightly larger and less infested.

Why am I sharing this on my vintage style blog?  Well when ever I am at the cabin it brings back memories of visiting my grandparents cabin. And well we always go antiquing while we are up here.  Besides enjoying the lake one of my favorite cabin activities.  The picture above is the lake and the tree was a pine tree that had survived over a hundred years but came down last year (much to all of our sadness) in some straight line winds.  We were very lucky that it did not come down on the cabin and that it was one of the only trees to fall (we did lose 2 or three more).  Some friends of ours just a few miles away lost just about all their trees and went from having a lovely wooded lot to one that looked like it had been clear cut.

Every cabin up here seems like it has to have chainsaw art bear.  This one is in rough shape but it came with the old cabin so we put it out to greet visitors.

One of my favorite parts left over from the old cabin is the Bunkhouse.  A little rustic cabin in the woods no water no electricity but very cute and cozy (a good place to take a nap on a lazy afternoon).

 Isn't the inside cute?  This little 50's dinette came with the original cabin and I believe was in the bunkhouse when the cabin, land and buildings were purchased.  It has two twin beds and my mother in law went with the western theme since well, it is called the bunkhouse.

As this area tends to be a vacation destination there is no shortage of antique stores.  One we have visited in the past but hadn't been to in a while is one that used to be called Poor Richards. I am not sure if it is still called this as I didn't see a sign this time other than ANTIQUES and as the prices have risen dramatically since we started visiting it I am thinking Richard is not so poor anymore.

Disclaimer: I have to warn you that in order to keep my 4 year old out of trouble I had to hand him my camera.  Hey moms helpful hint when taking a small child into antique store handing them a camera and asking them to take pictures of both what you like and what they like can really help keep them out of trouble.  Instead of picking up delicate items they are taking pictures of them.

OK so hopefully you get the idea of how packed with stuff this place is.  When the kids asked me what they sell?  I said everything and I think this is quite literally true in the yard alone I saw everything from boats to bathroom sinks.  The kids begged me to by them the worlds smallest violin complete with case and a sword. Here is what I opted for instead.

A 39 Philco table top, a cigarette lighter for the Mr LV (luckly he no longer smokes cigarettes but does enjoy collecting smoking paraphanelia).  Mr LV has also been learning to restore old radios and while this Philco may look rough right now he will have it cleaned up and working soon ( I will post more about our radio collection another day).

Hope you all have a great Week End I know we will!!!! 

Happy Pickle Day

So this is my second year of canning.  I am kind of self taught from you-tube and other instruction videos and books.  Today I made a larger batch than I had attempted last year. I made 24 jars of dill pickles.  Tomorrow I may be doing Dilly Beans.  My tomatoes are later this year than last year so I haven't been getting an over abundance of ripe tomatoes.  Any one else putting up food this year?

Style Inspiration- Ginger, Tina Louise

OK so when I was a kid after school time was a time for reruns.  I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, Bewitched (a whole other post), I dream of Jeanie (also a whole other post) and Gilligans Island.  Now many people (when I say people I mean MEN) ask Ginger or Mary Ann.  While I will not go there I will start with Ginger played by actress Tina Louise.

Tina Louise born Tatiana Josivovna Chernova Blacker, was cast in Gilligans Island as the Movie Star.  The role was originally designed for Jayne Mansfield. Did you also know Tina Louise did pin up modeling, Broadway acting and even put out an album?  She was also named "worlds most beautiful  red head" in1958 and even modeled for playboy.  She was not just a bombshell but a very talented lady.  Here is to you Tina Louise thanks for making the world a more beautiful place!!!!