My Oklahoma

Eat Ice Cream

That's really about all there is to be done during these dog days, though I'm trying my damndest to cut back on my sugar intake. My dreams are filled with peach cobbler, vanilla ice cream, and strawberry malts, all washed down with vats of sweet tea deep enough to drown an elephant.

Kiddy Land

There's a pretty magical place just up the road from us in Independence, KS. The Ralph Mitchell Zoo and Riverside Park are beautifully maintained and feel perfectly frozen in time. We headed up there a while back on a pretty, clear day.




Damn, playground toy dolphin, you scary.

The Rudd Motel

The Silver Saddle

Art Crush: Samantha Lamb

I think my friend Samantha Lamb is pretty well known in the state of Oklahoma these days, and rightly so. Her fine art photographs are breathtaking. They seriously make my liver quiver. Just in case you haven't been introduced to this lovely lady and her art, I thought I'd share a little glimpse of her newest work which celebrates Indian Summer in all its warm, glowy beauty.



I had the supreme honor of being photographed by Sam a couple of years ago, and since I've come to know her, I can tell you that a sweeter, more creative and genuine soul does not exist in this world. She is twice as gorgeous in person as in her photographs, if you can believe it. Sam is currently working her fingers to the bone running a farm and communing with wild owls and donkeys and milk cows. She is Snow White come to life, I tell you.




Visit Sam's blog for more of her lovely work and life (and pies!), and grab her coupon code for a fall discount in her shop. Now I'm off to drink something warm and eat something spicy and pumpkiny, thanks to Sam's gorgeous photos. I hope that you're enjoying these first fall days, my favorite time of year.

Roadside Fun Postcards

I just added these fun postcard sets to the Sweetheartville shop! Get your kicks on Route 66.

Mr. Waffle

We like to keep breakfast fun around here.

*Tape strips from this post and yesterday's courtesy of Photoshop genius Pugly Pixel.

Tokheim

Teem

Pepsi Cola

66

My Garden Gnome

Coffeyville, KS

The Ball and Paylore Home

After my post about Maynard Parker a while back, I was looking through some of my old magazines when it dawned on me that not only had I seen his work before I stumbled upon it online, I had held copies of his photographs in my hands as I perused some early 1960's "House Beautiful" magazines in my collection.



I especially liked this home, designed for two single gal librarians in Tucson, Arizona from the October 1962 issue of "House Beautiful". Get a load of that revolving porch shade!



If you're a vintage cookbook lover, I've started a series over at Mama Says Vintage called Vintage Cookbook Fridays. Each Friday I'll be sharing a different vintage or antique cookbook from my collection. Today we're taking a look at "The Story of Carnation Milk" circa 1915. We'd love your company!

St. Tammy, Patron Saint of Hair Stylists

I gave you a brief glimpse of St. Tammy when I returned from Deluxe. Now here she is in all her bouffanty glory:



"Saint Tammy, full of style, blessed are thou among beauty operators. Holy Tammy, Backcomber of Bouffants, pray for us now and at the hour of our chemical processes. Amen."



As I ever so slowly hone my amateur Photoshop skills, digital collage is becoming just about my favorite artistic medium. Working in a digital format has really opened up a whole new world for me. I want to create more, more, more!



Speaking of more, ye olde shoppe is fully stocked with Beauty Buttons, including "Chemically Dependent" and "Curl Up and Dye".




Stay classy, Dollfaces.

The Photography of Maynard Parker

I can't remember now where I stumbled upon the photographs of Maynard Parker, the principal photographer for House Beautiful magazine between 1942 and 1965.




The dramatic lighting! The saturated colors!



Head over to The Huntington for a narrated slide show to see these and many other breathtaking images of mid century living.