SCORE!!!

My husband got a haircut this weekend, and I tagged along.  I saw this beauty by the front door of the barber shop.  I asked them why it was outside, and they said they were throwing it out.  "Does it work?"  "Oh ya." "I'll be right back!!!!!"  So we got our truck and brought this baby home.  The make is Helen Curtis and it is called Cool Temp.  Trademark registered in the mid 70s.  It has a timer and heat setting.  Adjustable hard bonnet and a built in ashtray.  I'm going to clean it up and set it up in my basement rec room, which is also my sewing studio.  It will be a fun piece of furniture, a conversation piece, and a lifesaver, on the days I can't wait for my set to air dry.  I don't know what to do about the back yet.  It's kinda ugly and mangy looking.  I'll keep you posted!

PatternMaster Boutique4: Pants sloper

Here is my first fitting for the PatternMaster Boutique4 pants. This is just the sloper. You can see my fitting for the dress sloper here.

Everything looks pretty good. The only thing that needs to be changed is the crotch length. I used an elastic to locate the waist and when I measured the crotch length I used the upper edge of the elastic which added an inch. It's hard to see in the pictures but the crotch of the pants is very low.

An outfit post!

I'm beginning to feel better.  You know when the symptoms of your cold have subsided but you are still breathless and exhausted.....ya, that kind of better.  In any case, I was sick of pyjamas and track suits so I decided to get all dolled up.  Luck would have it that my awesome father-in-law offered to take Valentine for the afternoon.  And so I went thrifting and it was great.  I scored some wonderful items.  Here is my outfit.

Blouse is from Bootlegger.  Circle skirt and petticoat are by me.  Black patent leather purse from the thriftstore.  White 60's Naturalizer shoes from the thriftstore.

Circle skirt in action! 

Here is what I found...

 A Helen Joyce hat.  The feathers are in great shape.  It's a good thing

there was label otherwise I'd have no idea how to wear it!

 I also scored a child's mink toque by Pariseau's, a white and silver beaded purse and a sweater guard.

And best of all, I found this beautiful, red-orange party dress.  It's home made.  From the style and length I'd say it's mid to late 50's.  But I'm not an expert.  It has such neat details, I'll have to take some more pictures to show you guys.  It's a tad too big for me but I still love it.  It has a few stains a tiny hole.  I'd like to have it dry cleaned but I'm afraid they'll ruin it. 

Finished hairstyle!

I wrote about my CO washing routine. Then I showed you how I set my hair. And finally I bring you the results. This is just a regular brush out, nothing fancy. I'll post some more elaborate hairstyles when I get around to it. One of the reasons I love this set is that it's very versatile. It can accomodate both side and center parts, and different styles can be achieved simply by changing the direction the bangs are rolled.

This is the same setting pattern from the tutorial.

Carefully take out the rollers.

Brush out gently with fingers. A few seconds of panic is permissible though not necessary. We're not finished!

Start brushing! Apply pomade sparingly, near the part, the hairline, and the crown. If you apply the pomade little by little you're less likely to use too much. You can always apply more, but you can't take it off.

Tada!

Playing Suzie Homemaker

Well today is my first day with the.....let's call it the housework and lifestyle schedule.  And it isn't going very well, mostly because I have the flu.  I'm going to stick to it as best as I can without making myself or others sick.  I'm not doing my workout, and I'm not going to FEN.  Lot's of Vicks, fluids and rest. 

Estate Sale!

I went to an estate sale this Saturday. Well actually, it was carried out like a garage sale. They are very few and far between around here; I usually find one per year. Here is what I picked up:

This is a Stratton No.2 lipstick compact. Sadly the lipstick tube seems to be missing. It's just an empty cap.

I also found this fan lace girdle by OTC.

And a jar of very old buttons. The black shank with the silver stripe might be Bakelite! I did the rub and sniff test and it definitely smells like something. But I have no Bakelite experiences to compare it to. So I'm just not sure. And that giant green button nearly covers the palm of my hand. It's HUGE!

Tentative schedule

I've created a little planner in Excel.  I wish I could post it somehow.  I have filled in all my scheduled affairs, like my jobs, taking Valentine to the nursery, picking her up, and going to FEN with her.  And then I filled all the stuff I would like to get done into the blank spaces.  I tried to spread them out as nicely as possible.  I do not have a start and a finish time for most of these tasks to allow for a fudge factor.  And if I finish something early, I can have a few moments to myself.  Although I did not schedule Valentine time, or Chris time I was careful to leave certain times blank.  Like the times when all three of us are together, and times when I'm alone with the mister.  I'll be starting my routine Monday, I'll let you know how it goes.

Sadly, the mister will be gone for ~5 weeks.  This could make meal planning very difficult.  I need to find some recipes with 1.5 servings.  Also, I will have more spare time, so hopefully I can get some sewing done.

Better Organized, More Efficient, New Me

Whoa! I've felt SO overwhelmed lately. And the most frustrating part is that when I put everything down on paper, I really don't have that much to do. I need a better way to manage my time and my home. Meal planning and scheduled household chores are on the agenda as well as sewing time, family time, workout time, and two part-time jobs. Although it sounds challenging to me now, I'm sure things will only get easier and less stressful and hectic.


I will begin by breaking down household chores, and tasks:
Change sheets
Wash sheets and towels
Laundry
Clean bathroom
Clean living room
Clean kitchen
Clean basement
Clean master bedroom
Clean Valentine's room
Wash windows
Meal planning
Groceries
Clean car
Clean truck

Now I will make a list of activities:
Me time
Chris time
Valentine time
Self-maintenance
Sewing
Blogging
Working out
Music

Have I missed anything?

Red Hot and Blue Rockabilly Weekend 2010

So last weekend I attended my first rockabilly event!  My husband and I drove 4.5 hrs to Montreal, QC for the 6th Red Hot and Blue Rockabilly Weekend.  We have been trying to go for several years now, but something always came up.

I'll start with the venue. I love Montreal. It has a very European vibe - very laid back and easy going. I speak French and that was useful, but not necessary. Almost everyone spoke both French and English. Le Lion D'Or was the perfect location. The size was perfect, the decor was perfect, and the service was exceptional. I really hope they have it there next year. You could see the stage very well from anywhere, and it was easy to move around, from the bar, to the table, over to the stage, back to the table. It was a perfect arrangement. Not too crowded, not too big...just so freakin' swell.

Here are the bands we saw the first night....

Tennessee Voodoo Coupe, from Toronto

The Broken Toys from Argentina

The Howlin' Hound Dogs from Montreal

And Deke Dickerson and Jordan Officer from California

These are just the bands from the first night.  The second night we saw The Royal Crowns, Crazy Joe, Little Rachel, and Barrence Whitfield.  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from the second night because our camera batteries died.  At least I didn't drink as much as the first night so I remember it better, HA!

I didn't know what to expect from the crowd.  I heard so many horror stories of mean pin up girls who think they are the only ones doing it right.  I had this fear that I would be snubbed and made to feel out of place.  Boy was I wrong!  There were greasers, psychobilly and rockabilly folk, vintage lovers, pin ups, cowboys and girls and everyone got on like one big happy family.  It was so cool; completely took me by surprise!

It was such a treat to watch the swing dancing.  I don't know the first thing about swing dancing and I nearly died from envy.  Anyways, I was fortunate enough that someone asked me for a dance.  I let him lead and tried my best to follow along.  It was so wonderful; I thanked him profusely. 

Now I say first and second night but we actually missed two nights.  We missed a burlesque show, a 50's fashion show, car show, tiki cocktail and polynesian buffet, and more live music and dancing.  Hopefully we can make it for the whole thing next year. 

Wet to Set

So, I told you all about my CO washing routine. This is how I set my hair. To begin you'll need : clean, wet hair, a rat tail comb, and some clips.

I like to divide my hair into sections first. It takes a few minutes and it may seem tedious, but I think it makes the rolling easier.
I start by making a center part. Then I section off the hair from the back of the part to just behind my ear. Repeat on the other side, and voila, a nice, even ear to ear part. I separate my bangs by making a straight part in each recession. Now I take all three sections, bangs and both sides, and pin then up nice and tight.

Now for the back of the hair.... I separate that into layers, starting at the crown, and finishing at the nape of the neck. I securely pin each layer as I go. The thickness of layers will depend on the thickness and length of your hair. I can get away with 4 layers but 5 is better.

Now it's time to roll! You'll need your rat tail comb and some curlers. Right now I'm a using foam curlers.

I start at the back, from bottom to top. I try to alternate between even and odd numbers of curlers to create a brick pattern. Once I get near the top, I don't curl all the way to the root.  This is to create a smooth crown. For the bangs I like to do three curlers rolled towards the back. If you want to do rolled bangs, you can roll them forward. For the side, I do one diagonal part and I roll the curlers towards the back. All done!

A hair net is very handy for sets. It supports your curlers and keeps them from bouncing around. A satin slumber cap or scarf, is necessary if you plan on sleeping in your curlers. But wait until you are just getting into bed; your hair will dry faster if it is uncovered.

Happy setting!

Hello beautiful readers, I have missed you!

Hey everyone!  Sorry to be gone for so long.  I hope you all had wonderful summer vacations.  Things have been pretty hectic here lately.  Anyways, just letting you know I'm back.