A 1960's Vari-Vue Smile

I have been under the weather lately - physically, spiritually...

But every time I walk past this 1960's "Vari-Vue" motion image card in my bedroom, I can't help but smile.

Golden Coral with a Soul of Flame

I was sick this past week with a bad cold. The kind of cold that left me in a brain fog for days. Dizzy. Feverish.

It was lovely, really.

You see, I'm in love with my bed - it's where I do all my best reading, writing, thinking, dreaming. And so it was great to have a perfectly legitimate excuse to be able to spend hours and hours there, a roll of toilet paper at my side to keep the liquids at bay - and vintage magazines scattered all around me.

I'm usually happy, in a bittersweet sort of way, when I'm lost in the past - and reading an old magazine is one of my favorite ways to get there. With each turn of the page there is a chance to discover a new treasure: a story written by an author who later became famous, a quaint poem, a gorgeous vintage fashion advertisement, a photograph of a toy or cereal box or shampoo that stirs up an old childhood memory.

This past week as I paged through my magazines, my head was too foggy to focus on anything but the photos and illustrations - and I decided to make a game of finding as many interesting vintage hats as I could. And then I chose my favorite, based on my current state of mind: 

Cautious, but open to new possibilities. Surrounded in the color of hope.  Watching, waiting...peacefully.

So here's the winner. Not exactly a hat, but a gorgeous scarf of "coral-red fired with gold" to match the Dorothy Gray lipstick.

"Jewel of India - golden coral with a soul of flame." Dorothy Gray lipstick advertisement -

McCall's magazine, May 1960.

Vintage Sandal, Carved Heel, 1940s

I discovered this sandal inside an old suitcase at a recent estate sale.  Sadly, its mate was nowhere to be found.  I decided to buy it anyway.  Art doesn't always have to be practical...

Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister

Rosemary Clooney, Vera Ellen, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in the 1954 film "White Christmas"

Sisters

I just got back from my annual Mother's Day weekend with my sisters at the Mall of America. Here I am, modeling the flapper-style hat that I bought yesterday at Maurice's. I buy hats to sell but never wear them myself - but my sisters insisted!

You might not guess it from the photo (I'm pretty good at faking perky) but I am completely exhausted from having spent the night talking with my sisters until nearly 4 a.m.

What do five middle-aged women (all of us, mothers and most of us, wives) find ourselves talking about in the wee hours of the morning? Well to give you an idea, I recall saying at one point: "Okay, now which body part haven't we covered yet?" For some reason, we seem to find the aging female body an endless source of amusement. None of us can boast a perfect body (or sex life) - so I say, thank God we can at least laugh about it!

I've got great sisters.  My sister Kathy surprised me at lunch with a little gift.  "I've been meaning to give this to you for a while," she said as she reached into her purse and pulled out a lovely brooch.  It was my grandmother's - probably from the 1950's or 1960's. 

I haven't got a thing to wear with it - yet.  But I'm sure I'll come up with something soon.  I'll keep you posted.

Vintage Barbie and Ken dolls, early 1960's

I managed to nab this Ken doll at an estate sale a few years ago for practically nothing.

My Barbie doll has finally found her dream date!

Mystery Date

When one door closes, another opens. Will he be a dream? Or a dud?



When I was a little girl my Barbie doll's Mystery Date was always the same guy - a one-armed G.I. Joe. (A war injury, I suppose.) As pitiful as this Joe was, she couldn't even have him all to herself! She had to share with Midge and Francie, and Skipper too.

I've never had much luck with men, and neither did my Barbie.