Squeeze The Lemons

As promised, I have something completely different for you today. Recently, my amazingly talented friend Holly Abston asked if I would share a bit of my home and some of my thoughts on making the most of what I have on her wonderful new site, Squeeze The Lemons. I was happy to oblige. I love the concept, and I think you will too!

So, go have a look at my colorful, highly imperfect home, and let's all make the most of what we have today, Turtledoves.

Folklore Flowers

I have a serious thing for folky florals. Hand-painted or embroidered, I can't get enough of them. Brightly colored flowers on a background of black? Oh God, yes. One day I hope to have an entire wardrobe of embroidered German dirndls, Scandinavian sweaters, and Mexican Puebla dresses. Until then, I'm enjoying drooling over the stunning traditional costumes at Folklore Fashion, a blog by Laila Duran chronicling the making of her books on the subject. So much gorgeousness there!

                                                                        Photo copyright Laila Duran 2012

Little Chairs

Last weekend I got to go to one of my favorite thrift stores for the first time in probably about a year. I went on a mission to find something, anything to wear for that super fun window between maternity clothes and pre baby stuff in which I still find myself. Wouldn't you know, I didn't find one single article of clothing, but I did come away with a few good books, a sweet vintage baby dress, and this perfect little handmade twig chair. I have a serious soft spot for twig and bentwood furniture. It comes from my love for The Ozarks (and my Happy Place) and my childhood obsession with all things pioneer and old-timey. As a little girl, I wanted to live in a log cabin full of the stuff. Making twig furniture is on my list of "someday" skills to learn.

Apparently, I have a bit of a thang for little chairs, in general.






Another collection that just sort of snuck up on me!

Extreme Turtle Makeover

We've had this turtle step stool since my little one was a baby. My mom found it at a garage sale, and according to what's written on the bottom, it was made by a local man in 1974. I have always intended to recover it, but it was one of those projects I kept putting off. Well, 37 years and several hundred tooth brushing and hand washing sessions later, it was getting kind of gross. I started thinking about recovering it, but wasn't sure what fabric to use, since it does see so much action in the bathroom. Then it hit me: oilcloth!



I ended up having to replace the deteriorated foam rubber inside, and then covered the new foam with a layer of batting. It's better than new now, since water, bubbles, toothpaste and other kid messes just wipe right off!

And speaking of messes...looks like one too many bubble blowing sessions and a long winter have left my front porch in need of a good mopping. I'll add it to the list!

Where The Magic Happens

Get your dirty minds out of the gutter! This post is about mine and The Mister's shared office/studio/crap containment area. Adding a new member of the family means that some room swapping is in order, so I've pared down my vintage lovelies and craft supplies and somehow managed to squeeze what's left into a rather tiny bedroom.


This is where the designing, creating, and packing + shipping required by Sweetheartville takes place, along with Welcome Little Stranger songwriting and recording sessions. It's also where a whole lot of interneting happens.
On the top of this old medical cabinet which holds crafty odds and ends and enough vintage rick rack to choke a magnetic donkey, I've displayed some artwork by my talented friends Heather, Sam, and Sara, and some inspiring photos and bits of paper that I change out from time to time. The vintage beauty products are just a few sent to me by my incredibly, amazingly generous friend Bob. Thank you Bob!


Wanda just returned after her whirlwind tour of OKC, and now resides in a place of honor overlooking one of my most favorite possessions, a tintype of my mom and dad made on a trip to Silver Dollar City a few years before I was born.
Just a little peek inside Sweetheartville!

Reba's Rocker

My sweet in laws gifted us with a bit of cash earmarked for some new furniture, specifically a rocking chair, and this is the one that I settled on. According to the seller, the chair and its mate (which I didn't purchase) most recently belonged to Oklahoma's own Reba McEntire, and came from an auction at her ranch house near the little shop where I found it. Judging by the wooden peg construction, I believe it must be somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 years old.



A rocking chair will be very nice to have in the house come next spring. Yes, the members of Welcome Little Stranger will be welcoming a new little stranger into our family sometime in May, and we couldn't be happier!

My Mod Victorian Asian Log Cabin...OF DOOM

I've been having a bit of fun lately making "inspiration mosaics" with Flickr photos. Now that I finally have the time to devote to finishing all the house projects that I've been putting off, I've swung into full home decorating mode. As time goes by, I find myself straying further and further from the strictly kitschy/mid century modern aesthetic I used to crave. I'm beginning to gravitate toward a bit darker, quirkier, more eclectic look--kind of mid century mod meets the 30s and then travels back in time to an 1850's Ozark Mountain cabin before ending up in the Victorian Age combined with lots of folky, handmade touches and Asian stuff. Pretty awesome, right? Without further ado, here are some lovely found photos representing a lot of what I'm working with, and some of what I'd like to find to complete my demented vision for our home.


1. Fabric11, 2. Antique Print, 3. Lampshade Heaven, 4. vintage globe, 5. Small tole trays, 6. Jack on the Circle Rag Rug DONE!, 7. New Couch., 8. birthday of Sri Krishna..., 9. Antique quilt, 10. vintage floral circa 40's pillow detail, 11. mirror, mirror..., 12. Heart of concreat and broken tiles, 13. 2007 nichos, 14. statue, 15. Harmony Mccoy in Mist Blue 1961, 16. Window Glass View, 17. favorite souvenirs, 18. Luxe Red and Gold Powder or Dresser Jar, 19. The Great UCM Museum, 20. Vintage Paint by Number, Geisha with Parasol

Happy Christmas and Merry Holidays

Merry Christmas to my Christmas celebratin' Dollfaces! All my dreaming paid off this year when a Christmas Eve blizzard left us with a White Christmas, a truly rare event for us Okies.



The Sweethearts are about to venture out into the Winter Wonderland for visiting and gifting, but before we do, I thought I'd give you a tiny little tour of our Christmas Fancies.



This year our tree was a turquoise and vintage Santa and His Elves affair, and I think it might be my most favorite tree to date.



I love, love, love my vintage bells tree skirt!



Here is my entryway with its growing collection of trees. I took Ms. JDP's advice and just used some pretty, faceted bulbs in my chartreuse lamps in lieu of the elusive perfect pair of vintage shades. I also prettyfied my front door with a vintage net hostess apron draped over the curtain rod.



I hope everyone is warm, safe and happy on this sparkly Christmas Day!

Kitschmas in Sweetheartville

So today I went around snapping shots of a lot of my Christmas decorations, for you Dollfaces, and for posterity, I suppose. Sugar Pea and I have been sick for three weeks between us, so this Christmas was a bit of a bust. I did force myself to make three varieties of cookie and two types of candy, sick as I was, but was then too miserable and exhausted to take any shots of how dang pretty they all looked laid out on a big aqua platter. You'll have to take my word for it.
Now, if you'd please, come this way for a little tour of my home at Christmas time. Please remember that it's a work in progress. I'm afraid one year later we haven't made as much progress as I would have liked.


In the entryway, I displayed my growing tree collection. I'm still searching for the perfect pair of shades for those awesome chartreuse lamps.


About a month ago, I found a real life Nylon Net Novelty tree! The old men running the charity junk shop just couldn't get behind my enthusiasm, even when I explained that it was a real life Net Novelty. They took my fifty cents with nary a hint of excitement for me.


Just ignore the half stripped wallpaper behind the giant styrofoam Santa head as you behold the tree.



After an email from Christie with a picture of some nesting doll ornaments, I had the idea to give Sugar Pea her own little tree to decorate and redecorate to her heart's content. Plus, I figured it would take some of the heat off of my tree. So, I set about making six little felt "open babies", and she helped me string a garland of pink pom poms. I also gave her a dozen shiny, unbreakable ornaments.


Well, imagine our surprise when, a few days before Christmas, a lovely package of cookies and these precious handmade Open Baby ornaments arrived for Sugar Pea from the oh-so-generous Ms. Christie. She is just about twelve kinds of awesome, as evidenced by the spectacular octopus chandelier she just made.


I overloaded a little tree with my vintage angel ornaments on the dining room buffet.


My favorite part of the Christmas story has always been the part about the Bug People who followed the star, riding reindeer for three days and nights to bring the Baby Jesus peanut brittle.


This summer, my Mom found me a box of six of these Shiny Brite angels. I want to hug them, and squeeze them, and call them "George", but I don't because they're very fragile.


Here's the pantry, all decked out. Really, with a pantry like this, it would be a sin not to decorate it for Christmas. Possibly, it would be illegal. I'm not taking any chances.


Here's where our tour ends. If you'd like to see more, have a look at my Kitschmas Set on Flickr. Happy Holidays!

Dry, Odorless, Effective

Remember my Asian figure lamps from Neosho? Well, I searched high and low for the right shades, and the best I could come up with were a pair of black chandelier shades that, when clipped on the bulbs, were too high to cover the lamp sockets. So, I did some crafty improvising, and decided to glue black fringe around the inside rims of the lampshades. The fringe I purchased was a few inches long, so a trim was in order. Let me tell you, for someone who prides herself on being crafty, and is professionally trained in the art of haircutting, this proved to be more of a challenge than anticipated! I kept having to trim a little more here and there, until the fringe turned out a tiny bit shorter than I would have liked. In the end, I really like the effect. Sort of vintage Shanghai bordello.


I put the pair on either side of my vanity, which dates from the 1940s or 1950s, and was a wedding gift from my Mama. I've made quite a bit of progress on my bedroom, and after I get some pictures hung, I'll give you a tour. But decorating isn't what I want to tell you about today. Today's post is about my love of vintage beauty products, and a new friend who shares the same passion for old bottles, boxes, and jars.


Bob found Sweetheartville recently, and contacted me because he too loves and collects vintage beauty products and vintage hairdressing magazines. Believe me when I tell you that he is a Dollface of the highest order, so much so, that he sent me a big ol' box of vintage hair goodies in the mail. After I told him that I had dropped my darn Dippity-do jar and broken the lid, he sent me a new one, along with a bottle of Subdue Dandruff Shampoo.


That's not all he sent, though. That sweetheart mailed not one, but three vintage perms, each with its original components still inside the box! These are the first perms in my collection. This "Self" permanent dates from the days of big hair and white lipstick, and is just delightful with the poppy simplicity of its package design.


The "Chemtronic Life Pick-Up Permanent" is designed for touch ups to the bangs and neckline between regular perms, and is my favorite of the three with its shiny gold box.


Last, but not least, comes the "Pin Quick" Pin Curl Permanent from Richard Hudnut. It's weatherproof! Thank you so much, Bob!


I thought I'd share a few recent additions to my ever-growing collection. One of my very favorite pieces is this "EZ Hair Removing Glove" I picked up at a garage sale this spring for a quarter. It is unused and still with its original packaging, a lovely folded card featuring an elegant lady hand with nails manicured in the unpainted tip and half moon fashion of the 1930s, from which it dates. It was made by Helen Neushaefer, who appears to have been the creator of creme nail polish, although information on her is limited.



The hair removing glove is "dry" and "odorless" because it is essentially a loop of sandpaper designed to slip over four fingers. As for the "effective", I guess we'll never know. It certainly would aid in exfoliation. The fact that sanding ones leg whiskers off is a foreign concept to me (and, I would imagine, others), somehow leads me to believe that the results were less than desirable.


Another recent find is an addition to a collection I've shared before-my vintage powder compacts. Despite its battered appearance, this was an especially exciting find for me, since it is a commemorative souvenir of Oklahoma's semi centennial in 1957, the anniversary that spawned the Tulsarama! celebration during which Miss Belvedere was buried. Engraved on the image of our state is the phrase, "From tepees to towers."


The color scheme and Art Deco sleekness of this "Fonteel Toilet Powder" tin just kill me.


Another recent find was this glittery pink plastic 1950s curler hamper. How do I know that it's a "curler hamper" and not a candy dish, you ask?


Because it says so in gold letters on the lid!


I've added lots more photos of my collection to my Vintage Beauty Set on Flickr, so hop on over for a peek!

Testing...testing...is this thing on?

Did ya miss me, Dollfaces? Let's catch up, shall we? Here's a quick recap of the last three months:

• We moved into the house and promptly had a red wasp infestation and plumbing problems, both of which have since been resolved (hopefully). Ah, the joys of an old house that has sat vacant for two years.
  
• In an effort to make all the new ends meet, we denied ourselves cable/internet, which is why Sweetheartville has been deserted for so long.
• Thanksgiving happened without me telling you how grateful I am for all my wonderful friends both online and off.
• I discovered the awesomeness that is Pandora. Go there now and set up your own free customized radio station. Well, finish reading my blog first.
  
• I painted and began to decorate my kitchen, although I still have lots to do in there.
  
  
  
  
• I decided to decorate for Christmas around the stacks of boxes and that awful wallpaper. After all, it was our first Christmas in our very own house (yipeeee!).
  
  
  
  
• Oklahoma, especially our neck of the woods, was hit with the worst ice storm since statehood. Huge limbs and entire trees (and therefore power lines) came crashing down under the immense weight of several inches of ice. We were very fortunate our home and vehicles weren't damaged, as some of our neighbors weren't so lucky. Our entire little town was without electricity and running water for days. Many people, including my folks, were without power for a week, some even longer. Had it not been for my parents' wood burning stove, we would all have been in the Red Cross shelter. How easily we take electricity and water for granted until it's gone. The massive debris cleanup effort is ongoing.
  
  
  
  
• Oh yeah. There was Christmas. After the week lost to the ice storm, and a couple more lost to illness, I was totally unprepared, but we all enjoyed just being together as a family and stuffing our faces full of my Mama's good cookin'.
  
• I turned another year older. The highlight of my birthday was a personal MySpace message from none other than Miss Kim Lenz(!) herself. Let's just say I nearly peed my pants when I read it. What a Dollface!
  
• I got all DIY and tore up the carpet in our bedroom. Gross and exhausting, but satisfying.
  
  
  
  
• We watched every single episode of all three seasons of Lost on borrowed DVDs in time for the January 31st premier of season four. Holy. Crap. That. Show. Is. Awesome. Yes, I'm a late bloomer. I had no idea what I was missing.
• I finally picked up a copy of Blueprint, and boy am I glad I did.
  
• I made a frightened 3:00 am call to 911 after Sugar Pea woke up gasping for air. After the assurance from fire/rescue that she was getting enough oxygen and we could safely make the 25 minute trip to the ER, it turned out to be a severe and sudden case of Croup that was restricting her airflow. She was given a breathing treatment that had an immediate effect. I never want to see my baby struggle for breath like that again. I know how terrifying not being able to breathe can be. So far she seems to have escaped her Daddy's and my asthma (knock on wood). She's right as rain, smart as a whip, and beginning to talk like a little parrot now, not to mention running, climbing, and generally getting into mischief.
• I decorated the whole house over in my head about 7,000 times. I am a very fickle and noncommittal interior designer. After a bad wall color decision which needs to be remedied, I think I've finally settled on a scheme for our bedroom. Here's a sneak peek at my inspiration which I found here:
  
  
  
• I gave Sugar Pea her first haircut---little bangs, which, when combined with pigtails, increase her cuteness (and decrease my ability to reprimand her) exponentially.
• I did lots of thrifting.

That should about catch us up. I've missed you and your blogs and your feedback on mine, Dollfaces. It's good to be back.