That 70's Doll!

All aboard Mommies!!!! Get your oneway tickets to board the luge express down that slippery slope known as.... The American Girl Doll.
I got mine.
The little Petal has been wanting an American Girl Doll for over a year now.
There just happens to be an American Girl Doll Boutique in Dallas.
We have been reading the books together since August.What I do love about these dolls is that each girl represents a different and significant time period or decade in America. I decided as long as she chose an historical character...it would be a worthwhile investment for Santa this year.

She chose Julie from the 1970's.
Why yes, I did have other lofty history lesson dolls in mind....but...
nope...not even Kaya's tee pee could steer her away from that 70's doll.
Atleast her Mommy and Daddy were children in the 70's...so the whole"See what it was like when Mommy and Daddy were kids...." shall be my "lesson plan" for Julie.

....and...she has some crazy cool accessories...like this Eero Saarrinnen table and chairs...and a fondue set!!!!

The big kid real life "Tulip Collection".Hey,maybe this Julie adventure will be retro fun!

How 'bout this for a 70's doll
(dig that midi dress!)?

Beautiful Crissy.

...and her amazing 70's fashion.


Julie has a midi dress and a hibachi grill.

Allrighty getting distracted from dolly world to look at midi dresses for a mo.I want the white one COMPLETE with the "Adam and Eve" fabric!!!!

Hows this for a 70's frock? Thrifted ,natch,and only a 3 bux,dig the self matching fringed scarf! The corset belt is from F21 and only 4.99,I got it in black too!
Perhaps mommy will 70's out on Christmas day...but I need crazy 70's boots!


So the 2 dolls that I was pulling for were Felicity from the American Revolution....

....and Kit
who lived through The Great Depression.

On second thought...Kit seemed to have the most accoutrements including a giant tree house...for a doll who lived the great depression ...she sure has lot of stuff.Even big sissy was intrigued enough to play!

After dolly choosing was over we went upstairs for our dinner reservations at the bistro.I had the salmon and it was surprisingly good.



If you do not yet own a doll they let you borrow one to dine with. This time she chose Kit(Julie was unavailable).

and the baby giraffe chose Felicity.

All in all,after a bit of trepidation, I am getting psyched for my Petal to learn about the 70's through imaginative play.
For you mommies out there with daughters ...I am very curious about your thoughts on American Girl dolls...would you get one for your own American girl?
Which doll would or have you already chose?

Oh...and Happy Turkey day!!!

My Own Vintage Clothing Fashion Magazine ...The Fall Fun Issue,November 2009

Is it possible ? Have I actually gotten so back in the habit of blogging that I felt the need for a new issue of my vintage fashion zine?Or perhaps the real question is do I actually feel good enough about myself again that making a point of expressing my sense of style is once more a priority? I won't lie,I had a tough 2009 with many life changing events. My challenges perhaps deserve a post of their own someday,but for the moment I feel that I am happily returning to the girl that you met way back when I started this site .

I have had so much fun with fashion this Fall.Honestly I am not even sure what is *supposed* to be "in" this Autumn season. I generally follow trends as a sort of hobby,but this year I did not even pick up the big fat Fall issue of Vogue...a bit of a 1st for me in many years.
So lets get right to the wacky way I wear my clothes!
Lately I have been a little obsessed with what I'll call"disposable vintage".
These are the pieces that are certainly from a bygone era...but no garment that a "proper" vintage establishment would deem worthy of making the cut into their shop,heck even the Thrifts think they are only worth a couple of bux! Which ofcourse means....more for me!
The above dress is an over-sized homemade silk garment that cost...2 dollars!

The print is an obvious riff on one of Monet's Impressionist paintings.
The above is Claudee-poos "Le Jardin de Monet"

I tend to create "uniform formulas" that I repeat again and again!This one is my "Worship of the Ugly" look.Disposable Vintage is the perfect ingredient for this look....along with black tights,Doc Martens,beaded old lady sweaters,and any peculiar jewelry or vintage bags you might choose.Here I chose an all time fave poodle bag purchased at an estate sale,and a pendant inherited from my Grandmother that has a very similar impressionistic design.

Another "disposable vintage" dress. This time its made out of crazy Aunt Mathilda's left over couch upholstery fabric!Again...over-sized fun at couple of bux.

Same formula different details.

Remember this dress ? It actually might be less disposable and more of find. Same formula....

...gold pendant from my Grandma and vintage bag a prezzie from my bestie!

For this dress I could always trade the docs for my "beautiful/ugly" shoes. How I love this twisted aesthetic.....and so comfy too!

Ah...my trustee overalls!
Hmmm, what to wear for Thanksgiving?
Option #1.


I even found a "disposable vintage" piece for this look.
The,um,blouse?...is called a Rhoda Lee. I love how it has such a festive flounce to it,and another impressionistic print(less than 2 dollars!).I paired it with a proper 60's velvet jacket and my Frida tortured heart necklace.

Option#2
I usually do not go in for overalls that are not denim(yes...I tend to be snobbish about my thrifted overalls ),but I gambled on these because I liked the color palette ...and...they're flannel!!!

Paired with ethereal Anthro shirt,delicate beaded sweater,recently thrifted heart locket,and another sweet pearl piece.

Option#3
This is the one I am leaning toward.
Fabulous 50's Fall Chrysanthemum dress!*

Heres a snap of me modeling it last Fall.This dress came from my favorite vintage shop in Dallas ,Ahab Bowen.

Here are the accessories details.Vintage beaded sweater,newly thrifted copper cameo necklace,and amazing brown leather bag from the late 60's. This bag is my new favorite from a long ago thriftventure. I had hidden it from myself and found it after the move. You would not believe the quality of this bag!

Option #4
I may not wear this for turkey day...but I cannot wait to wear it somewhere. Though I found this cute little paper doll jumper at the thrift,I think it is new-ish and in the style of those fun early 70's knit pieces.Paired with skinnies,a brown vintage mock turtle,boots,and that delicious purse!
I am just so happy I am having fun again with my wardrobe...and that new kick boxing class I am taking helps me look good in it!
So what are you wearing this Fall?
*I wasn't sure I would enjoy "the floor collection" in the new home so I thought I would try my dress form.......ummm....yeah...not so much..I think I will stick with my "floor collection" format!

Fall At The Pagoda

Fall in Texas is pretty close to paradise. Once the rainy season ends we are left with a mix of days that range from 70 degrees and sunny to those that have just enough delicious nip to grab for the vintage sweaters!
Here is a snap of what my backyard looked like this morning(you may click to enlarge any pic). Its seems the leaves all decided to let go in just this past week.My backyard is much bigger than the Cliff May homes yard was. I love the cluster of trees you see on the left and to my eyes they resemble a sculpture.The only thing I am really missing from my old homes yard is the beautiful and ancient Catalpa Tree ......honestly I never thought I would become so attached to trees! In the Spring I plan on a bit of backyard decorating
,but for now I will let Winter have her.



Onto a bit of Thanxgiving decor before Christmas gobbles all of Bloglandia up!I give you my dining room table scape!This time with  Native Americans  AND Pilgrims!



Still working the "ball Jar" look!


The other sides close-up,with thrifted "Gurley Candles"!


The top of my display buffet. Lokk at the folksy pilgrim turkey!!! He prolly uses lolly-pops in his tail feathers ,but I prefer what the artisan created!


The inside of my case!
I replaced a few donkeys with turkeys. Since the hubs likes to refer to my donkeys by their "other" name and then call them my ex-beaus...I am sure he will get some mileage from their shared space with "turkeys"!



Check the little vintage Mohican "surprise ball". I found him in a long ago thrift-venture and would LOVE to know what plastic-y goodness is wrapped inside......but I shall never know!


and lastly getta loada Crooked Halos doo!
She shot a little independent short this weekend with some pretty exciting actors.She plays the new face of a cosmetic company. She is growing SOOOOO very tall,the hubs and I have replaced the C.H. moniker with "The Baby Giraffe".
I will share more details at a later date.
Pretty fierce huh?
My Mama always said "The higher the hair the closer to Heaven "!

A November Thriftventure,Kidlette Costumes ,And A Sneek Peek!

Happy November! Oh my, how I have been livin' it up at the thrift !Here are few choice morsels from recent furloughs at 2nd hand establishments,namely thrift stores,and specifically my FAVORITE thrift .....a dangerous mere 5 minutes away from the new pad!
A brown silk velvet jacket from ...I believe the 70's. It is fully lined and delicious(at a couple of bux)! You will note I am finding new photo op spots around the house,this is my current fave "backdrop".


Here is a little pink cotton kimono. I am imagining it over jeans and a tank or simple clean lined fitted sweater.


Here is a close-up detail shot of the cute and kawaii embroidery.The adorable stitching is what made me fall for this piece (also 1.99) and it might look better chopped off and hemmed as a short jacket or possibly reconfigured somehow as a little girls dress. I have not quite gotten my brain around what I wish to do with it yet.


Yet another bed-jacket. I loved the color and the sleeves and knew it would look oh so fun with my butterfly necklace.You know the styling drill
with this one:overalls,Kowalski tank,and cowboy boots.


An over-sized old fashioned heart locket at 3 bux. I am imagining this layered with pearls,after I tuck pics of my precious girls inside.


A final bit of goodies to round out the fun. Pieces of hand-tatted lace,an amazing vintage pillow case with a sheet music and blue rose print(you may click to enlarge any image),and a delicate vintage nightgown longing for a tea bath and some
other vintage embellishment,so she can emerge anew as a springtime frock.


....and th H-ween round-up!
Halloween weekend found Crooked Halo dusting off her wings and donning fairy attire for her school dance. I especially love her rainbow fantasy make-up.Ruby's current on-line obsession is you-tube make-up tutorials.


The Little Petal continues to beg for store bought H-ween stumes,and found the perfect intersection of her own obsessions (skullies and stuffed animals)when she chose this Skelanimal costume.


...and wait...no that's not Ruth Buzzi. Its my own sweet and sour C.H.using another make-up technique,and going trick-or-treating as an old lady(you didn't think she would choose something as pedestrian as a fairy for her actual costume did you?).

and last but not least a sneek peek of the new Crooked Halo Lair (or the drama dept. as her father and I like to call it).Its not yet done and I shall probably have the finished product toward the end of the month,but atleast the paints on the wall.
The New York Loft room is a tough act to follow,but she and I are both getting excited about the new ideas we are brewing!