Well, my little family survived our ovenless Thanksgiving just fine - thanks to an electric roaster loan from a friend. I'm trying to finish up the leftovers as quickly as possible so I can start my holiday diet.
Oddly, I tend to gain weight in the summer and then lose it during the winter months. I'm counting on that happening again this year!
My incentive is this great Mad Men era two-piece dress that I bought at an estate sale yesterday. The 60's label: "Carl Naftal Original - California."
I can just barely squeeze into it right now...and I wouldn't want to risk wearing it until I've lost about 10 pounds...but I can already tell it's going to look great!
The dress is in a textured Dacron Polyester, and it has these wonderful sparkly gold and green rhinestone buttons on the pockets. Even though this is sleeveless, I think it could be great for a holiday party - especially with a vintage fur collar or wrap for a little extra warmth. What do you think?
Here are some more greens and reds to help unleash your Christmas spirit!
All this color! But sometimes the best things in life are in black and white...
Here's Bing Crosby in a 1965 Christmas special singing "Wonderful White World of Winter." Love the dancers in the first number! If this were about two years later, the women would probably have long hair and go-go boots, instead of suits & hats.
First the good news: I'm staying home for Thanksgiving this year! That makes me happy because I'm a big chicken when it comes to driving in snowy weather - and this holiday is notorious for dishing out nasty weather either during the drive to my parents' house, or on my way back home.
Now the bad news: My oven died about a month or two ago - and procrastinator and penny pincher that I am, I haven't managed to get it fixed yet. So my Turkey Dinner will need to be cooked in the microwave or on my stove top...
Collier's magazine cover, November 16, 1932
Actually, I'm not too concerned. There will be just three of us for dinner on Thursday - me and my two munchkins. And as long as my son gets his pumpkin pie, my daughter gets her spinach dip, and I get my mashed potatoes and gravy, we will all be perfectly happy.
My children, Daniel and Rachel, toasting Times Square - 2008 trip to New York City.
This year's Thanksgiving gathering at our home is special for a couple of reasons. My son Daniel moved out of the house shortly before Halloween to live in Rochester, Minnesota (near the Mayo Clinic), so this will be his first holiday homecoming. And now my daughter Rachel has decided to follow his lead. She just found an apartment a couple of miles away from home, and plans to move out on December 1. I'm losing my babies!
Okay, I will admit that for the past few years I have actually been looking forward to having my house to myself. (Just think, I will have two empty bedrooms to spread out my antiques in!)
But now that it's only a week away from happening, I just want to turn back the clock about 20 years and be able to curl up next to them in bed at night and read "Goodnight Moon" over and over again.
Oh, look at me complaining again - when I have so much to be grateful for!
It's always something, isn't it?
Or as this little pup says, "If it isn't Booze, it's Something Else..." (Ha! I'd like to read that story - too bad I've only got the magazine cover...)
To those of you who will be celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday - my very best wishes to you for a wonderful holiday! And to those of you who will be heading to work that day, as usual - perhaps when you get home you can have a nice glass of wine or two, and toast your American friends. And if you forget, I promise to have an extra glass for you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
p.s. For those of you who have no idea what "The News From Lake Wobegon" refers to, and haven't had the pleasure of listening to Garrison Keillor's radio show, "A Prairie Home Companion" - here's a little taste of quirky Minnesota humor for you. Watch it to the end to catch the fun Be-Bop-A-Re-Bop Rhubarb Pie ditty.
...like the early 1940's novelty hit, "Mairzy Doats." Here it's sung by a very young, cute-as-a-button Janet Lennon, one of the Lennon Sisters of The Lawrence Welk Show.
So sweet! I always think of my own sweet sister, Mary, when I hear this song.
Mairzy Doats I know a ditty nutty as a fruitcake Goofy as a goon and silly as a loon Some call it pretty, others call it crazy But they all sing this tune:
Mairzy doats and dozy doats And liddle lamzy divey A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you? Yes! Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
If the words sound queer And funny to your ear, A little bit jumbled and jivey Sing "Mares eat oats And does eat oats And little lambs eat ivy"
Oh! Mairzy doats and dozy doats And liddle lamzy divey A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you? A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
- composed by Milton Drake, 1943
But actually, now that I think of it - most of the Marys that I love best have a lot of spunk mixed in with their sweetness.
One of my favorite films of all time, Frank Capra's 1946 "It's a Wonderful Life," also features one of my favorite fictional characters: Mary Hatch Bailey, played by the beautiful Donna Reed.
Yes, Mary Bailey was as sweet and devoted a wife to George Bailey (James Stewart) as any woman could be, but it was her strength and spirit that made us all fall in love with her.
This video features one of my favorite scenes and dialogues from the movie.
George: What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.
Mary: I'll take it. Then what?
George: Well, then you could swallow it, and it'd all dissolve, see? And the moonbeams'd shoot out of your fingers and your toes, and the ends of your hair... Am I talking too much?
Old Man: Yes! Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?
George: How's that?
Old Man: Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?
...in the 1954 Broadway musical production of Peter Pan! (Mary was such a convincing Peter Pan, I grew up thinking that she was a rather quirky looking boy.)
...and as Nellie Forbush in the wonderful 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. Ms. Martin won a Tony for both of these roles.
And let's not forget about this famous fictional Mary... Mary Poppins!
Julie Andrews in the 1964 Disney film, Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is everyone's favorite nanny: mysterious, adventurous, no-nonsense - and she adds a "Spoonful of Sugar" to everything!
Often when people think of Mary Quant, the name Twiggy immediately comes mind. Why? Because Twiggy was the perfect model for Mary's famous 1960's inspiration - the Mini Skirt!
And here's my favorite musical Mary from the 1960's...Mary Travers.
Miss Travers was the lovely female third of the popular American folk-singing trio, Peter, Paul and Mary.
This incredible video of Mary Travers singing "And When I Die" is from a 1969 Mama Cass television special. That's Mama Cass (of The Mamas and the Papas) and folk singer Joni Mitchell sitting on pillows, 60's style - applauding Mary. Isn't her mini dress fabulous!
Oh, that song was a little sad, wasn't it?
Back to Mary Van Note to cheer us up!
Mary Van Note having a Pajama Party in her 1930's/1940's silk pajamas and 1950's Daniel Green slippers.
Mary Van, it's clear you are in very good company...and I not only forgive you for your contrariness, but you also deserve a big thank you!
After I read Mary's comment, I decided that I had better quickly list a few more items on Etsy so that my shop had a little more oomph to it. And then, thanks to her strong suggestion, I decided to come out of hiding. So there are now links in my blog's side column to both my Etsy shop "Sarsaparilla's Boudoir" and my "Sarsaparilla" eBay listings.
Once again, a blogging friend has come to the rescue! What would I do without all of you?
Have a wonderful Sunday - and a fabulous Thanksgiving week...
"Sarsaparilla" Susan
It's November 13 already (brrr, winter's coming!) and I'm a little embarrassed to look back at an old post from July 17 when I excitedly announced that I was opening up a new shop on Etsy - Sarsaparilla's Boudoir - and that you should keep your eyes open for items for sale there "soon."
My intention was to take a month's break from selling on eBay while I got my shop rolling on Etsy. And then I planned to start up again on eBay in October - in time for the Christmas season.
Perfectly sensible, right?
Well, 117 days later and I still have an empty Etsy shop - and I haven't sold a thing on eBay since early August!
I seem to have a dreaded case of........SELLER'S BLOCK!!!
Psychoanalysis no. 1 (Mar./Apr. 1955) edited by Bob Stewart and written by Steven Ringgenberg.
I wish there was a virtual couch that I could lie down on, and one of my blogging friends could play therapist and help me figure out what my problem is.
Or how about a "Psychiatric Help" booth like Lucy's?
Anyone willing to step in for Dr. Lucy? I'll bet there are plenty of bloggers that would line up at your window/screen. Just think of the money that would roll in at 5 cents a minute!
Has anyone else out there gone through a spell of Seller's Block? Any suggestions?
I'm so frustrated with myself because I have a house full of vintage things that I'd like to sell, and have even taken photos of a few of them...
But I can't seem to take those next steps to get them posted - and start making some money, which I could definitely use right now!
I think part of the problem is that I have "Shipping Complex." Because everything I sell is different weights and sizes, I spend enormous amounts of time finding the right size box and packing materials and making sure I've calculated the proper weight so that I don't overcharge for postage.
That whole packing/shipping process is looming large in my mind right now and is dragging me down. I'm thinking, do I really want to get into this again?
Part of me says YES, I need the money and I love the customer contact! And the other part of me says NO, you don't have time for this! Start selling again and you can kiss your social life goodbye!
I guess that NO seems to be winning the battle right now. Thus, my Sellers Block.
Maybe a little "Shop Envy" will help inspire me and get me out of my slump.
cartoons from Bizarroblog by Dan Piraro, creator of Bizarro
I've got some wonderful followers (thank you!) who have fabulous blogs - and some amazing things for sale right now.
Look at what I found at these lovely online shops!
Shona's online store, Heyday! I love these Heyday Plum Ladies Swing Trousers! Lots more pretty things there. I was crossing my fingers that I might be the winner of Shona's Fleur Dress giveaway. But I will have to add it to my wish list!
Able Gable I love their custom order clothing - especially the Miss Ann Darrow 1933 Dress. The frock is worn by Miss Amanda Lee in Ivory and Mlle Fleur de Guerre in Kingfisher.
Oh my, that little shopping excursion was fun! Especially because in the middle of posting photos, I decided to buy one of the darling handmade flapper figurines from Mitzi's Collectibles. My new little mascot flapper has a polka dot dress and is named "Etta." I'm so much better at buying than selling!
Seller's Block, Shipping Complex, Shop Envy... I can just imagine you thinking - "Excuses, excuses! Girl, you've got to stop complaining, get off of that couch, and just DO IT!"
Okay, I will. I promise!
The next time you see my happy face I will be the new Selling Queen.
Free therapy, and tough love. That's what friends are for... :-)
"She sat alone in the black attic, smelling the one smell that did not seem to fade. It lingered like a sigh of satisfaction, on the air.
She took a deep, long breath. The old, the familiar, the unforgettable scent of drugstore sarsaparilla."
-- final lines of "A Scent of Sarsaparilla" - short story by Ray Bradbury, 1953.
A Bit of Romance...
This figurine reminds me of Ginger Rogers dancing with Fred Astaire to Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek." Click on the photo for a quick link to this romantic song and dance number
Click on the photo above, and you will see that the young lady with the flying scarf (pictured in my blog banner) is actually an embroidered pillow slip cover, on a 17" x 17" piece of cotton fabric similar to a vintage flour sack.
Purchased from the estate of an elderly St. Paul woman, my best guess is that this pillow project came from a mail order kit, such as Vogart - back in the 1940's or 1950s.
"I like to have a martini,
two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host."
- Dorothy Parker
Do You Suffer From...
Rheumatism, Dropsy, Syphilis, Dyspepsia, Melancholia or Cataar of the Bladder? Try Hood's Sarsaparilla! (click on photo for fab Hood's collection) Do you suffer from Vintage Mania, Antique-itis, Thrifting Consumption? The Cure for Your Addiction...A Sip of Sarsaparilla
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
- Dorothy Parker
I would be tickled pink...
...if you'd like to occasionally nab a photo or two from one of my posts to use in your own blog post or website.
I just ask one favor in return: please let your readers know where the photo came from, and include a link back to: sip-of-sarsaparilla.blogspot.com. Thank you!
If you would like to use more than two images, or if you would like to use an image in any other medium, please send your request to: sarsaparilla.antiques@yahoo.com.
By the way, I love all your comments and emails. So please don't hesitate to write if you have anything you'd like to share or a question to ask!
Vintage Hats: All-Out Deliciousness
Thought you might enjoy this long ago post. Just click on the photo and it will take you there!
Seller's Remorse: Ten Things I Wish I Hadn't Sold on eBay
This was one of my favorite posts. Did you miss it? Click on the photo and have a peek!
Curl up with a good book: Pulitzer Prize winners by women authors
The 1920's 1921: The Age of Innocenceby Edith Wharten 1923: One of Oursby Willa Cather 1924: The Able McLaughlinsby Margaret Wilson 1925: So Bigby Edna Ferber 1929: Scarlet Sister Maryby Julia Peterkin
The 1930's 1931: Years of Graceby Margaret Ayer Barnes 1932: The Good Earthby Pearl S. Buck 1934: Lamb in His Bosomby Caroline Miller 1935: Now in Novemberby Josephine Winslow Johnson 1937: Gone with the Windby Margaret Mitchell 1939: The Yearlingby Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
The 1940's 1942: In This Our Lifeby Ellen Glasgow
The 1950's all male authors...hmm...
The 1960's 1961: To Kill a Mockingbirdby Harper Lee 1965: The Keepers of the Houseby Shirley Ann Grau 1966: The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne PorterbyKatherine Anne Porter
.png)
.png)
Posts
