Fall Frolic Frock

Today was our first taste of Fall weather. The temperature dropped and and the leaves are starting to turn colors. I haven't worn this frock since last winter.

It is one of my Miss Ruth's finds. Very 80's style.

It has been a very long week and I am ready for Pizza and a movie. Tonight I am watching "Ghosts Italian Style" with Sophia Loren.

Vilkomen Friends!

My boys tell me when I wear this dress that I look like I mugged an Amish women. Regardless, I like it and if I added a kapp, I would fit right in where I live. When I bought it at Goodwill for $5, it still had the tags on it.

The sweater was retail clearance and the necklace is Sarah Coventry and belonged to my

 husband's Grandmother. It has matching earrings but I went for the more comfortable pierced earrings. The blue and gold earrings were given to me for helping clean someones house out when they moved.

 I think I look extremely studious today. I scored some serious swag this week and can't wait to show it to you.

The rest of the story...

Today I wore the other half of the sweater set I am re-purposing. Again, I used color and a belt to give me a waist. Anyway, I think I got my moneys worth from the sweater set. I only paid $2.50 for both pieces.

My walls are so empty. We are trying to sell our house and everything is packed away. The housing market here in the U.S. in in the tank. My walls used to be painted Mauve and were filled with treasures.

Here is a close up of my zebra print shoes.

Tips from Edith Head

Edith head was such a popular costume designer during the early years of Hollywood because she would look at the actresses and put them in clothes that accentuated their assets and played down their not so great body features. Learning what looks good on your body is key to successful op shopping. Not everyone can wear the form fitting dresses that look fantastic on Helga, or the minis and halters that Vix sports brilliantly.  I bought this sweater set at Community Aid and after seeing myself in a picture, I realized that although I still liked the individual pieces, they did not do anything for me as a set.

So I did a few change ups...

I added a belt to give me a waist and help break up the midi length. I changed up the waist length sweater for a longer one to make my torso look longer. I added some heavy metal jewelery to accent the black and some high heels to make my legs look longer.

Much better, I think.

The cross was my mother in laws, the belt from Gabriele Brothers, the sweater retail clearance and the bracelet was one we played dress up with when we were kids. I don't know how old it is but I'm guessing the 1930's. I guess I still like playing dress up.

Licking my wounds

What a day! On the way to work this morning, my car got rear ended. No real damage, just a little shook up, but walking to exchange information, I tripped on a piece of debris from another accident and went arse over tin cup. I now have both hands ripped up and two skinned knees. So I am relaxing in my elephant lounge set I found last week at the church charity shop, for $1.75.

The sweet lady that was working there saw me carrying this around and said "What pretty colors. I hope you won't be insulted, but that looks like you!" I assured her I wasn't insulted and it looks so much like me that I'm buying it. It's 100% cotton and made in India.

We only had one real bandage in the first aid kit, so one of the sales reps played nurse.

So...I'm spending the evening milking the sympathy and making my hubby and kids cook and wait on me.

'til later!

Belated Frock Friday

It has been so busy this week. K is going to Las Vegas next week and I helped her color her hair. We have an open house Sunday and need to stage the house. I was able to join in Frock On Friday Fun though. When I bought this dress at Community Aid (for a whopping $2.50), it reminded me of "Mi Papelicos". The clean lines and bright colors seemed like something Sacramento would like.

My sweater was retail clearance. I snapped these pictures quick before we changed for the USO dance in New Oxford.

My necklace is a gift from a friend. She makes jewelery and felt bad for me because I didn't have any "good" jewelery. Hahahaha...I don't think she understood that I "like" costume jewelery! Oh well, it was a nice gesture and it is a nice necklace. I'm not sure what type of stones they are, but they are purple and pretty.

The pin is vintage and belonged to my mother.

Without the sweater.

It was "Liberation" weekend in New Oxford. I'm not sure that any action from WWII came to New Oxford, Pa. but we do like our reenactments here. We took some shots and video of some of the dancers at the dance. The old school building the dance was in was standing during WWII and may have hosted original USO dances.

A bit of video of some of the dancers.

Enjoy the weekend and say a prayer for me to GET THIS HOUSE SOLD!!!

...and the Beat Goes On.

A quick post from Saturday night. We've been super busy getting the house ready for another open house, between the rain and the flood. We took time out on Saturday to go to Noonan's Tavern and listen to a little "Jazz Me" and then on to the VFW (Veteran's of Foreign Wars) Club to listen to Tuckahoe Ridge, bluegrass. If your not familiar with bluegrass, it is just 5-6 good ole boys playing some butt kickin, foot stompin, hootin and hollerin music!

Dress and Jacket - retail clearance

handbag - Miss Ruth's Time Bomb

Pattern Fishnets and hairpiece - Gabriele Brothers

Shoes - Goodwill

The necklace was my husband's grandmothers. The jacket is a faux snakeskin pattern.

The Day America Cried...

This Sunday is a day of mourning in America. It is to mourn the day that hate and evil prevailed. It does not seem like ten years since this tragedy. I remember it like yesterday. We all sat in shock watching the attack on our country unfold and realizing that there was nothing we could do to prevent it. I live in Pennsylvania, where Shanksville is located and between New York City and Washington, D.C., both only a couple of hours away. It was a frightening time. But as Americans do, we pulled ourselves up by our boot straps and did whatever we could. We dropped our change in the boots of fire fighters to send to the survivors of the families of the first responders that were killed in the attacks. Police and Volunteer Fire Fighters from all over the country traveled to the crash sites to help with the recovery. Young men and women joined the services to commit their lives to defending their country. What the enemy did not realize that Americans are a nation of Pioneers and Adventurers that say "that which does not kill us makes us stronger".

Despite our struggles as a country that is a "Melting Pot", Americans live, work and play side by side every day regardless of race, creed, religion or gender.

New York City, N.Y.

Washington, D.C.

Shanksville, Pa.

Pictures from National Geographic Daily News

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3

God Bless America and God Bless You My Friends!

Ten Years Later...

New York, N.Y.

Washington, D.C.

Shenksville, Pa.

"Let's Roll!"

Donna Frocking Reed

My office was closed today because they turned the water off as a result of the flood. It seems the water treatment plants are under water. I took the opportunity to show off my House frock and play Donna Reed. I went to the grocery, redded up the house (a little Pa Deutsch lingo) and in honor of Donna, made a tuna casserole and iceberg lettuce wedges with blue cheese dressing. Oh, I was the best dressed person in the grocery store if I do say so myself.

Another Community Aid frock bought for $1.50.

Another kitty pin.

I found these shoes and bag three states apart. For you label ho's, the bag is Liz Claiborne.

I also found some vintage glass at the Community Aid. At first I thought it was depression glass, but now I'm not sure. It may just be pink glassware from the 40s or 50s. Either way, I like it and the color matches much of the pink depression glass I already own and I got it for $3.

I am still researching it and it may be the Manhatten pattern if it is depression glass. For you are not familiar with this glassware, this was glassware that was given away during the depression in boxes of soap or food or at movie houses. It comes in hundreds of patterns and many colors. I collect the pink and green mostly. If you recognize the patten, please enlighten me!

Has anybody seen where the Ark is parked?

It seems like it's been raining 40 days and 40 nights. We have the remnants of a second hurricane in a week moving through our area. The rivers and streams are flooding and roads are closing and they are evacuating Harrisburg and Hershey (where they make the chocolate bar). I did finally get to wear my great LL Bean rain coat that I got at Goodwill a few months ago for under $15.

This is a great raincoat!

I know I said I wasn't buying any more black, but I'm a sucker for black with white polka dots. I stopped at Community Aid and it was 50% off day. This dress is one of the frocks I came away with.

I mean, it was $2.50...really. I love the empire waist.

I did add some color with my sweater and my pink and black daisy pin.

I just purchased this sweater clip from MRTB's Etsy site.

I will show you the rest of my Community Aid treasures later. I promise you they make up for the black relapse. Now I must excuse myself to go and pump out my cellar.

All that Jazz!

Saturday night and "Jazz Me" is playing at Rillos. We've known the lead singer and his wife for 20+ years. Even if we didn't, we would go and see them for their cool, rat pack style of jazz. We put on our best night club duds and headed out.

 I was a little bummed to realize that I didn't have any bangles sparkly enough to wear with this dress and shawl. I will be keeping my eyes open to try to correct that problem. Dress from Goodwill for $5 and the fringed shawl mine for more years that I want to think about.

These are my $6 Dorothy shoes and $1.99 fishnets from Gabriele Brothers.



Larry was looking pretty fine too.

My necklace belonged to my Grandmother and Mother

It has matching earrings but they didn't get in the shot

Three of the guys...the drummer was hiding in the corner. Rillos has some great Art Deco decor.

They kept things pretty low key until after the dinner time and then they cut loose. That's when everybody

wandered in from the bar and the dance party started.

We won a free CD for being the first to get up and dance.

I don't know how well it shows, but this dress is tiered and loaded with multi colored sparkles.

Check out the Jazz Me video posted.

Jazz Me Band Live at the MODE Masquerade

...to the Sea

I am finally posting the second half of our vacation. We headed to the beach at Sea Isle City in New Jersey. This is such a pleasant beach and very near the boardwalks of Atlantic City, Wildwood and Ocean City, N.J. Of course it was raining when we arrived again and the humidity was like the Amazon. This is what happens when you set up camp in the rain. At least my romper was fabulous.

The weather did clear up the next day and was beautiful the rest of the week.

We headed for the beach. I found my bathing suit on Ebay.

The pattern sort of reminded me of the Pennsylvania Deutsch tulip pattern



We've been coming to this beach since my kids were babies. This is the first time in 25 years it was just Larry and me. Sort of bitter sweet.

I love people and I love meeting all sorts of folks. This was Michelle. Her Camper was a work of art.

It was called the Gypsy Mermaid.

If you want to check this out more go to gypsymermaid.com

We also got to eat at one diner we've been wanting to for years but just never got around to it.

In case you can't see it on the sign, that and the back of the waitresses shirt says "Eat here...Get gas"

Police car in the parking lot means seriously good breakfast.

Bye bye to the beach and Summer is on it's way out. I will miss Summer but I think Autumn is my favorite time of year.

I don't remember where I got this frock, but I've had it for a long time. My Liz Claybourne bag is from

Goodwill for under $3.