Sailing over a Cardboard Sea

Argyle Sweater Vest

2012-02-13T18:13:00.000-05:00

This sweater vest usually gets lost in the back of the closet, but I love it every time I wear it.

Note to self: buy more sweater vests

Sweater Vest: Toronto thrift

Sweater: department store

Pink blouse: thrift (also seen here)

Pants: Newport News (also seen here)

Outfit worn to work.

Hang onto Your Hats!

2012-02-11T18:25:00.000-05:00

Apparently, fedoras are all the rage at fashion week this year.

The following looks are from the Ruffian Fall 2012 fashion show.

To see more from fashion week, click here.

Hands down my favorite look in the bunch!

Since childhood and the days of Carmen Sandiego, I have been absolutely infatuated with this look;

I'm glad to see it getting some time on the runway (perhaps this means I'll be able to find a nice inexpensive hat that fits my enormous head).

Hand-Colored

2012-02-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

There is something so soft, lovely, and surreal about hand-colored photographs so when I saw this collection of hand-colored images from the 1920s, I just had to share.

For more images from this collection, and information on the photographer, Asahel Curtis, see here.

Someone Take Away the Glue Gun

2012-02-05T12:57:00.001-05:00

It's a gloomy, lazy Sunday here on the coast

and I've had a bit too much fun with the glue gun, yet again.

Yep, that's a shell encrusted switch plate.

After painting the walls in the dining room, I decided my plain white switch plate was way too boring for this fantastic new wall color.

Well, the plate certainly isn't boring anymore!

It's also the only entirely shell covered thing in the room so I guess it isn't too over the top.

This is the first room I've painted in the house and by far the most daring color I've ever painted a space (with the exception of my black and purple teenage bedroom). I was nervous to paint at first but I am absolutely smitten with this color! Not only does it remind me of the sea but it is a historic color from the Belle Grove Plantation in Virginia (historic + ocean = perfect).

I am so darn anxious to get this room finished and show it off but I am still lacking a piece of furniture to complete the space. I've been desperately scouring craigslist, flea markets and resale shops for a cheap china hutch to refinish- so far everything is way out of my budget. Sigh.

We could really use the storage and I would love some display space for something like this:

Source: completely-coastal.com via Randi on Pinterest

So, the search continues. Fingers crossed the frugal furniture gods send me something suitable soon.

Winter Sun

2012-01-31T16:56:00.000-05:00

Having lived above 43° latitude most of my life,

I know that winter months can

be long and relatively dark.

For those of you who know what I'm talking about, here's a little vitamin D from the coast, courtesy of my trip to the beach Sunday evening.

The sun might not set into the water here, but boy do we have some beautiful sunsets.

And the evening light sure does make for some lovely photographs.

urchin

I've been busy painting my sea themed dining room

the most perfect color and decorating it with gorgeous things.

Pictures coming soon!

Azure & Polka Dots

2012-01-23T15:57:00.001-05:00

This outfit feels incredibly 90s to me. I think it has something to do with the black tights and the shirt under the tank dress. Probably the largeness of my hair has something to do with it too (this was post-hair cut).

I wore this to a perm consultation this morning.

I like wearing my snood, from Arthelia's Attic, to hair appointments because it conceals whatever mess the stylists makes of my hair and prevents me from having to style my hair before heading to the salon (this was especially wonderful when I was setting my hair). I really should buy more snoods....maybe it could be my new thing.

The perm consultation turned out to be a bust, the stylist flat out refused to touch my hair with any chemicals, gave me a trim and sent me home.

She was probably right to refuse considering this is what happened last time I permed....

hey look, it's the same polka dot shirt!

But with a little work, this happened too.

Why can't I just be satisfied with my natural texture?!

Specimen Collection

2012-01-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

I suppose this is how a collection starts,

you love one thing so much....

scorpion earrings, worn here

that you want to find another.

crab clip-ons: west coast prize from my beau

And, when you do, you keep searching for more....

Etsy has lots to offer.

Source: etsy.com via Ginger (Randi) on Pinterest

So, here begins my specimen collection.

Hard to believe mid-century ladies found creatures embedded in lucite charming, but I sure do!

In other news, you may have noticed that I am now posting as Ginger (Randi). While the moniker/pseudonym "Ginger" has served me well over the years, lately, I've felt the urge to unite all my internet personas under one name and what better name to do so under than my own. In the near future, I plan to phase out Ginger entirely and just refer to myself as Randi. Hopefully referring to myself as both for sometime will get folks used to seeing my real name and it wont seem so odd when I post as Randi.

And lastly, don't forget about the little give away I am holding,

I've extended the deadline through the 22nd so there is still time enter!

Click on the HERE to enter!

Pretty Shabby: Before and After

2012-01-11T22:36:00.002-05:00

If you were around the Sea last spring, you may have read my rant about the "shabby chic" furniture trend and, if you did, you know how angry I get when people paint perfectly good solid wood antiques some horrible pastel hue. Well, color me a hypocrite because what follows is an entire contradiction to my anti-shabby stance.

Nearly a year ago, a bookshelf caught my eye at one of my regular antique stores; it had wonderful mid-century lines but it had sadly been painted an odd blue-grey. Since the shelf was an absolute steal, I purchased it and brought it home with the intensions of refinishing it. After a closer examination it appeared that the surface that had been painted over was likely veneer which was not in the best condition. I elected to leave the shelf grey.

The shelf shortly after purchase

After we moved, my shelf found itself in a room I had intended on turning into a small parlor (see this post). After months of trying to get things to come together in this room, I decide to abandon hopes of a parlor and turn the room into a dining room (as the builder had intended). Try as I might I could not find a new home for this shelf in any other room so it returned to its spot in the now dining room (who doesn't want to read a book while eating? haha). Before returning, it also underwent a make over.

Yep, I painted it black. I also attempted to tape off stripes but failed horribly (any advice on using painter's tape?). When I removed the tape my lines were far from crisp and for some reason my reaction was to pull out the sandpaper. Pretty shabby, eh?

I'm not entirely in love with the results but as you can see it really doesn't matter once I put things on the shelf. Now that I've painted it black, the shelf is much more substantial, plus it matches Mrs. Bolton's awesome seascape!

Things are really coming together in the dining room- I've found a number of possible china cabinets for the space (yet another project) and brought home a number of paint chips to consider.

I am very excited to get painting- now just to choose a color!

Rebel, Rebel

2012-01-04T08:41:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I never admired pretty women, in fact, I'm not even sure I was aware of them. Women that fascinated me were the women that broke the rules, did unconventional things and left their mark on the world. Any lady that did something "only men could do": shoot, fly, vote, wear slacks, rob or rule (see the photos above), earned my respect- especially if they did those things better than a man!

I suppose history and the female sex is in great debt to this rebellious streak, without it life would be incredibly dull and history books quite thin (to say the least).

If there is one thing I've learned from my childhood heroines, it's that it is good be different- sure you'll be talked about, but you'll be remembered too. That idea, combined with my fierce stubbornness (blame the red hair), is why I've never followed the crowd- if everyone else was doing it, I sure as heck was not. Sure I'm not going to change history with my slight superficial rebellions but the challenge of rowing up stream makes life much more interesting.

This brings me to the point of this rambling post. After finishing the novel Little Women, in which I highly identified with the character Jo, I realized that if I was alive when a lot of my vintage clothes were in style, I wouldn't be wearing them! While everyone else was wearing crinolines and girdles, I would have been that odd girl in slacks and a fedora or some old frock that could have belonged to my grandmother. While everyone else had their heads in pincurls, I would have been the one with the wild unkempt hair.

I guess this explains why I'm getting "itchy" now that vintage fashion has gone more mainstream.

Any thoughts? Do you go paddle against the current or go with the flow? Who are your heroines?

And don't forget, dear readers, I'm having a give away! Less than a week to enter!

Win yourself a lovely vintage hat!

Click HERE!

Ganache & Jousting

2012-01-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

Last Friday was my beau's birthday and to celebrate we indulged in the chocolatey goodness of a homemade ganache covered cake and enjoyed jousting and other knightly feats at Medieval Times.

This was my first experience with ganache, and let me tell you, I may never go back to frosting.

All you need is 8 ounces of chopped chocolate, a cup of cream, and some heat!

Just after pouring the ganache over the cake

For an entire guide to ganache, and a more attractive cake, see Martha Stewart's ganache basics.

Being that my beau's birthday is so close to Christmas, his family really never made much of a fuss over it. Intending to make a fuss, I decided I wanted to take him somewhere he'd never been.

Inspired by the television program Knights of Mayhem, which he's been watching on occasion, and a discussion in which I realized he'd never been to a renaissance fair or anything similar, I booked surprise tickets to Medieval Times.

We were cheering for the red knight

Have you ever been to Medieval Times? It's basically dinner theatre where you eat various meats with your hands and watch actors "battle" and "joust"- all of which is choreographed and staged.

Okay, so it's super cheesy and basically meant for children
but we were thoroughly impressed by the incredible horses!

If you're a medieval enthusiast or particular about historical accuracy, this show would drive you nuts, but if you can appreciate dressage, beautiful horses, or just like eating with your hands, you might find Medieval Times a good time.

Don't forget about my Marvelous Mink Give Away!

Click HERE to enter!

Christmas Wrap Up

2011-12-29T09:06:00.000-05:00

So many posts were planned but remained unwritten while I prepared for Christmas for there were cookies to be frosted, houses to be decorated and trees to be trimmed leaving little time to actually sit down and type.

This Christmas was my first away from Western New York and the first Christmas ever spent in this house. The prospect of staying put for Christmas was so lovely- no stress of travel and no stress of rushing to and fro to try and visit a multitude of relatives in a ridiculously short amount of time.

Staying home meant decorating the house and sticking around to enjoy it. Not having much of a plan, I just started putting up random decorations and eventually settled around coordinating the decor with the ornament wreath I had made for the front door. But, the wreath was not meant to be and just couldn't survive the constant abuse that my front door decor apparently endures (turns out my beau rubs his arm or back on whatever is hanging on the door). With little interest in putting time into yet another wreath, I simply added garland and greenery to my regular front door wreath and tailored the rest of my decorations to match.

In addition to my aluminum tree, we decided to get a real tree because it simply "can't be Christmas without one!". Well, a real tree turned out to be such trouble- it seems that everyone purchases their tree right after Thanksgiving and we were left scouring lots for something that would fit in our living room. We ended up with a sad little tree that looked more like a bush- but we were happy to have anything at all! Next year we plan to go to a you-cut Christmas tree farm and get ourselves a real coastal Christmas tree.

Here is our tree very early on Christmas morning. Christmas trees are so magical at this time of day.

This being our first year setting up a tree, we had only a modest assortment of vintage ornaments that I'd collected over the last couple of years. Hating to think of us with a naked tree, family members sent ornaments.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Lovely mermaid from my aunt

Star from Tanzania given to us by my beau's sister who spent her summer in Africa (these stay out year round)
Pelican and sand dollar from my aunt
Vintage fish (so old!) from my mom

My parents joined us on the coast on the 22nd. Being an only child, my mom couldn't bear a Christmas without me- nor I without her, so when it was decided we were staying here, there was no question where they were spending the holiday. I am so glad they came, it wouldn't have been the same without them.

Every time Mom and Dad visit we always gorge ourselves on sushi and this time was no exception. Here's what I wore to dinner.

We always order way too much to eat- this time we ordered an entire boat full!

Once I was a vegetarian but that was until I had sushi! How one goes from eating no creatures at all to eating raw dead things is beyond me- I guess it's just that good!

My beau, Pops, and I

Christmas eve and Christmas day were spent, where else, at the beach. It was a bit chilly but we practically had the beach to ourselves- what an incredible new way to celebrate! All in all we had a most relaxing and wonderful time and in all honesty- I didn't miss our usual WNY Christmas one bit!

Pops, Sam and I enjoying the day

From our time spent at the beach, I made a video greeting that I sent to family and friends on Christmas eve. It's ever so silly, but here it is for your viewing pleasure!

To all still reading this rambling post- I hope that you, too, had the most splendid holiday this year!

May your final days of the year be glorious!

Black, White and Red All Over, Again

2011-12-20T17:32:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit under the weather, for the second time this school year (darn germy kids), but seeing as I'm expecting house guests in just a couple days, hanging out on the couch all day is out of the question. So, instead of nursing my cold, I ventured into Wilmington to do some last minute Christmas shopping and to stock up on cookie making supplies.

I went to the closet this morning with the full intention of just putting on some jeans and a top but I felt like I might feel better if I wore something festive. I guess putting something "festive" on means wearing something black, white and red because here is yet another outfit in those hues.

This time I added a little teal to the mix; I love how teal and red look together.

On my Christmas list this year: teal shoes!

It was in the 70s today so I was clearly overdressed. Sweaters were once synonymous with Christmas for me- I suppose I should revise my thesaurus if I am to continue living in the South.

The red skirt is actually a lovely 1950s cotton dress with an amazing polka dot petticoat.

See my original post about this dress here.

Jacket- Mrs. Bolton

Sweater- Thrifted

Dress- Petrune Vintage, Ithaca, NY

Boots and Stockings- see here

Christmas Listening

2011-12-18T09:18:00.002-05:00

How 'bout a little Satchmo for Christmas this year? Sure it wouldn't be Christmas without Bing and Johnny but who can resist Armstrong's wonderful, gravely voice.

Despite having an incredible, and lengthly music career, Louis Armstrong only recorded a handful of
Christmas song which he did for Decca in the 1950s. While many of his Christmas selections are relatively sedate, my favorites are some of the more vibrant novelty tunes he recorded- Zat You, Santa Claus? and Cool Yule.

Our first tune, Zat You, Santa Claus? is so much fun and filled with sound effects!
What I love about this tune is that it's a rather unusual Christmas song. In this song ol' Satchmo is worried about the sounds he is hearing and hopes that the cause of these noises is Santa rather than something more menacing- this element of fear is a little out of place in a Christmas song, which makes me love it all the more.

Christmas in New Orleans is a new favorite of mine! I love the first two lines of this tune as they describe my Carolina Christmas perfectly:

Magnolia trees
At night
Sparkling bright
Fields of cotton
Look Wintery white

Here's the second novelty tune I mentioned in my opening, Cool Yule. Pay attention to the lyrics of this song- they're hilarious, as they should be, they were written by Steve Allen.

When all you cats are sleepin' warm as toast
And you gonna flip when the Old Saint Nick
Takes a lick on the peppermint stick

And finally, here's a classic tune that needs no introduction.

To listen to more festive music, visit last years Christmas Listening post.
And, for a good Christmas story or two, visit my 2009 Christmas Listening post.

Black, White and Red All Over

2011-12-16T09:54:00.001-05:00

This was my outfit for my last day of substitute teaching for the year.

Despite the fact it was seventy degrees yesterday and feeling most un-Christmas-like,

I wanted to wear something festive.

Jacket: Mrs. Bolton

Skirt: Thrifted

Shoes: Yonge St., Toronto

Blouse & tights: Department store

ah! so wrinkly after a long day at school

The Jacket

As usual, I chose something from Mrs. Bolton's closet: a red jacket with black trim and gold buttons by Vicky Vaughn Junior. The Vicky Vaughn line was the junior line sold by R&M Kauffmann, an Illinois company that started making the Vaughn line in the late 1930s.

I am guessing this jacket is from the 60s.

The Skirt

The skirt I paired with Mrs. Bolton's red jacket is a black and white, houndstooth, pleated skirt from Avon Fashions. I had no ideas Avon made clothing but after a quick google I found several Avon garments listed around the internet, most from the 1980s.

I found this skirt, along with several similar ones, at the convent-run thrift store near my college.

That thrift store was always packed full of high waisted, classic looking garments- thank goodness for nuns!

The Shoes

I love red shoes and these were my very first pair! I picked these little beauties up for $5 when I was living in Toronto. The ancient asian man running the shop stretched the right shoe so it would better fit my big foot (my right foot is nearly a size bigger than my left)! For so cheap, these shoes are oh so comfortable and their little wedge heels are perfect for being on my feet all day.

The Accessories

My mom bought this lovely Christmas pin for me when I was home for Thanksgiving. I've been wearing this pin to work all week and it's amazing how fascinated students are by it! Like red lipstick, I imagine broaches are something kids don't see their mothers wear- many students wanted to know where they could buy a pin like mine (perhaps there is hope for this generation after all!).

As you can see, I've set up my aluminum tree- more on that soon!

Wreath Woes

2011-12-10T11:13:00.001-05:00

If you happened to read my last post, you may recall that I had found a number of vintage ornaments to create a "funky, non-traditional Christmas wreath." In total, there were four, large, glittery ornaments I intended to use but, as you can see, only two actually made it on the wreath.

less Christmas and more Mardi Gras, eh?

Six lovely vintage ornaments were sacrificed in the making of this wreath- even after I had finished glueing and the wreath was hanging on the door, ornaments continued to break- it was disastrous.

Finally, I think I've got the wreath under control. In fact, all ornaments have remained safely fastened to the wreath for a week now, but, with the luck I've been having, I wouldn't be surprised if an errant bird just decided to smash into the door and ruin the entire thing. Sigh.

Hope your holiday prep is coming along better than mine!

Hometown Haul

2011-11-29T07:29:00.001-05:00

I never thought I'd be so happy to come back to the coast, trips up north have become so exhausting. Life in North Carolina is so calm and relaxed- just as life at the beach should be. With so little time and so much to do, visits to Western New York are exactly the opposite of my coastal life- rushed and chaotic.

Things this trip were made worse by the fact that everyone in my extended family has gone nuts! Seems they've all caught wedding/baby fever and just can't stop talking about "when I get married" or "when we have a baby," scenarios that I haven't thought much about myself let alone shared with my family. I suppose I should be happy that my family is so excited about such commitments and that they like my beau so much but weddings and babies scare the bejeezus out of me!

Despite all the chaos and family insanity, I did manage to visit my favorite hometown antique store and junk barn and somehow, through the magic packing skills of my beau, I was not only able to bring all my finds with me but we even had room for my Christmas decor, items for Etsy and Ebay and even a little something for a blog give away (stay tuned)!

So, with out further ado, here are some goodies from my hometown shopping spree:

I've been wanting to make an ornament wreath for our front door but lacked the interesting vintage ornaments to do so. When I saw these glittery ornaments, my mind suddenly conjured images of a funky, non-traditional Christmas wreath- perfect for our snowless beachside holiday.

I'll be sure to post pictures of the wreath when I finish it!

I also managed to find some sea related items including a 70s seahorse Avon bottle, a tiny shell planter and a nifty bouquet made from painted seashells (must find more like this!). All of these items with find a home in my beach themed reading room (still a work in progress).

This lovely Christmas table cloth is something my mom surprised me with, aren't I lucky?! All I had to do was mention that I was searching for a holiday table cloth and she was on it, scouring Etsy for something wonderful- which she found!!!

This table cloth has some awesome teal accents which I love and it's the perfect size for our little breakfast table! I can't wait to use it but I refuse to decorate before December 1st.

My last find was an utter steal, unfortunately it didn't photograph very well.

yes, we have flannel fish sheets- aren't they cute?

This red dress was hanging in my favorite antique store when I was there in October and when I went back on Saturday, a month later, it was still there! In fact, before I could even get inside the store the ladies at the counter informed me that I had to buy it! Since everything in the store was 20% off, this dress was less than twenty dollars AND it fit! So, needless to say, I bought it.

Even better, we are actually attending a holiday party this year so I actually have a place to wear this lovely frock! I've promised the ladies at the shop where I purchased this dress that I'd send them a picture of me wearing it (as they requested) so, for once, you might actually get to see me wearing this dress!

And finally, Sam had his own hometown haul including this awesome nautical looking rope and many other toys he stole from my mom's dog or picked out at the family business. I'm pretty sure he thought he had gone to heaven when he laid eyes on the piles of dog toys and treats that fill the aisles of the family feed store.

Sam is happy to be home, too!
I loved this picture, just had to share.

I cannot believe December is just days away! I can't wait to start getting the house ready for Christmas, this will be the first year I haven't gone to WNY to celebrate and boy am I excited to decorate and celebrate in my own home!!!

Sam Fisher

2011-11-21T09:04:00.001-05:00

Over the summer, I wrote about my desire to adopt a dog in a post entitled Dog Days. Around this time, I was spending some serious time on Petfinder.com searching for the perfect addition to our household. Each dog I saw and each story I read just tugged at my heartstrings but nothing was like the story of these sad little puppies:

Look at those sad faces and distended bellies

The Pet Finder posting for these little guys described them as brothers, about a month old, skin and bones and weighing practically nothing. Zeus (left) and Hercules (right), as the shelter had named them, were discovered in a dumpster and rescued just in the nick of time.

After further inspection it was discovered that poor Hercules even had a broken leg!

How lucky these little guys were that the humane society found them and took care of them!

When I first saw the listing for Hercules and Zeus, we weren't quite ready for a dog, and we really had our heart set on a basset hound. Months later, when we were finally, truly ready for a dog, I once again stumbled on the listing for these dogs. Zeus had been adopted but Hercules, now cast free, was still patiently waiting for someone to come take him home.

Around Halloween we started taking the necessary steps to adopt Hercules. Since the shelter was a couple hours away from home, we filled out an adoption application and were approved for adoption before visiting- we were told this was the best way to go about things and that approval was not a commitment to the dog so if we didn't like him when we visited, we didn't have to take him home with us.

When we arrived at the shelter, it was clear that the staff really, really wanted Hercules to be adopted and I couldn't help but feel like we were being pressured to take this dog home with us- this was not how I wanted an adoption to happen. After spending less time than we wanted to with this pup, we loaded him into the car and headed home. As we drove away from the shelter, I couldn't help but thinking- "what have I gotten us into?," but, after 30 minutes in the car with him, I could see that he had such potential. Though he was scared, he was so calm and so incredibly sweet- one of the most laid back puppies I'd ever seen.

We had decided, long before Hercules came into the picture, that our dog would be named Sam (Sam Fisher) after the protagonist of a Tom Clancy novel my beau had read. Sam was such a good fit for our new little hound dog and since he had no particular attachment to his shelter name, Hercules became Sam Fisher.

Here is Sam, on the day we brought him home.

Right away he made himself comfortable on the bed I made for him and was so happy to have some toys of his very own. He was also so glad to have a bowl of food!

After living most of his life in a cage, Sam is so happy to be free. There is no better confirmation of freedom than seeing miles and miles of empty beach in front of you and running to your heart's content and that's exactly what he did on his first trip to the beach.

He also had a ball rolling in dead crustaceans (good thing he is easy to bathe), splashing in the water and chasing birds!

Last weekend we made the long drive back to Western New York for Thanksgiving and deer hunting. Despite a little car sickness, Sam was amazing and slept almost the entire 13 hour drive.

Sam in the car on the way to NY

After arriving in New York on Saturday afternoon, we introduced Sam to snow (which he loved)

and to my parents 125 pound labradoodle, Odin.

Despite the fact that Odin is nearly three times Sam's size- the two get along great and both are incredibly grateful to have a dog friend to play with.

While there is a long road ahead of us getting Sam acclimated to life outside a cage, I am already so glad we took a chance on him (and I'm pretty sure he's glad too).

Old School

2011-11-17T07:20:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I picked up a last minute sub job at a school forty-five minutes away from the house. In a hurry, I just started grabbing things from the closet hoping somehow an outfit would fall together. One item I grabbed was a cropped jacket from Mrs. Bolton.

I try to incorporate vintage pieces into my teaching wardrobe- kids seem to respond well to it and it tends to look professional, plus, it's a large part of my regular wardrobe.

Yesterday, I had a sixth grader ask me "where does one find clothes like that?," he went on to tell me that he'd never seen anyone dressed like me and he liked my glasses. Students are generally kind and curious about my relatively archaic appearance- I get a lot of "you look like an old fashioned teacher" or " you look like someone from the movies," both comments I choose to take as a compliments.

This jacket is just so sweet.
Green, yellow, black and white diamonds with black velvet trim.

Terrible pictures, the light in the house is just awful. I had intended on taking pictures outside but, while the weather at school was a lovely 85 degrees and sunny, when I got back to the coast it was 72 and incredibly foggy- it was like living in a cloud.

Jacket- Mrs. Bolton

Blouse- department store

Belt- stolen off another dress

Skirt- thrifted

Earworm: The Sheik of Araby

2011-11-15T07:56:00.001-05:00

This song popped on the radio yesterday when I was driving home from a day spent with sixth graders; Since then, it won't leave my head.

Originally written in 1921, The Sheik of Araby was a response to the popular film The Sheik (1921) which starred Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres.

Valentino and Ayres
The film, in its entirety, can be seen here.

Here's a 1921 recording by The California Ramblers

In 1925, a verse from the song appeared in chapter four of The Great Gatsby:

"The sun had gone down behind the tall apartments of the movie stars in the West Fifties, and the clear voices of girls, already gathered like crickets on the grass, rose through the hot twilight:

'I’m the Sheik of Araby.

Your love belongs to me.

At night when you’re are asleep

Into your tent I’ll creep ——'

'It was a strange coincidence,' I said.

'But it wasn’t a coincidence at all.'

'Why not?'

'Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.' "

In 1926 new lyrics were added and the title changed to That Night in Araby. That same year, Son of the Sheik was released as a sequel to the film that inspired the tune.

Here's Django Reinhardt's 1937 version of the tune:

The Beatles also covered the song on their unsuccessful Decca audition from 1962.

The Red Wheelbarrow

2011-11-13T15:02:00.001-05:00

Some poetry for a Sunday afternoon.

white chickens

The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

---William Carlos Williams, 1923

Click play to listen to Williams read his poem, recorded in 1946.

Gift from the Sea

2011-11-09T12:20:00.000-05:00

What seems like ages ago now, I opened my mailbox to find a package from a friend. Inside was a beautiful little blue book titled Gift from the Sea and a note from my friend saying that she thought I might like to look through this book she found at a garage sale. At the time I was taken by the beauty of this little book and by the authors name, Anne Morrow Lindbergh- later, when I finally got around to reading it, I was struck by the beauty and truth of Lindbergh's words.

The Author

source

Published in 1955, Gift from the Sea was the fifth published work penned by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Anne, as you may have guessed, was the wife of legendary aviator, Charles Lindbergh, and the mother of the infamous Lindbergh baby.
Born in New Jersey in 1906, Anne was one of four children born to a diplomat father and a poet/teacher mother. Anne attended Smith College, from which she graduated in 1928. Charles Lindbergh and Anne wed in 1929 and went on to have 6 children, their first, Charles, was kidnapped and murdered in 1932.
Both Anne and her husband shared a passion for aviation, in fact Anne was the first American woman to hold a glider's pilot license. Together the Lindbergh's flew between continents and were the first to fly from Africa to South America. The couple also explored polar routes to Asia and Europe from North America.
While the couple live through out Europe and North America, Gift from the Sea reflects on time spent at the sea and was written during a vacation to Captiva, Florida in the early 1950s.

The Book

Gift from the Sea is often described as inspirational, which is why it sat, unread, on my bookshelf for so long. How the book should really be describe is as inspired. The pages of Gift from the Sea simply ooze with beautiful metaphors and similes drawing parallels between life and the treasures that wash up on shore. The book, while highly applicable to the lives of mid-century women, is, in my opinion, still highly relatable and relevant. If nothing else, the book is beautifully written, incredibly intelligent and oh so lovely to read. Each chapter of the book is named for a gift from the sea- a shell on which Lindbergh muses and ponders the shells shape, its former inhabitant and makes incredible connections to her own life grappling with themes of love, life, simplicity and solitude.

Here are some excerpts from Gift from the Sea:

The Beach

"The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach — waiting for a gift from the sea."

Channeled Whelk

"But his shell — it is simple; it is bare, it is beautiful. Small, only the size of my thumb, its architecture is perfect, down to the finest detail. Its shape, swelling like a pear in the center, winds in a gentle spiral to the pointed apex. Its color, dull gold, is whitened by a wash of salt from the sea. Each whorl, each faint knob, each criss-cross vein in its egg-shell texture, is as clearly defined as on the day of creation. My eye follows with delight the outer circumference of that diminutive winding staircase up which this tenant used to travel.

My shell is not like this, I think. How untidy it has become! Blurred with moss, knobby with barnacles, its shape is hardly recognizable any more. Surely, it had a shape once. It has a shape still in my mind. What is the shape of my life?"

Moon Shell

"We are all, in the last analysis, alone. And this basic state of solitude is not something we have any choice about. It is, as the poet Rilke says, "not something that one can take or leave. We are solitary. We may delude ourselves and act as though this were not so. That is all. But how much better it is to realize that we are so, yes, even to begin by assuming it. Naturally," he goes on to say, "we will turn giddy."

Naturally. How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity. An early wallflower panic still clings to the world. One will be left, one fears, sitting in a straight-backed chair alone, while the popular girls are already chosen and spinning around the dance floor with their hot-palmed partners. We seem so frightened today of being alone that we never let it happen. Even if family, friends and movies should fail, there is still the radio or the television to fill up the void. Women, who used to complain of loneliness, need never be alone any more. We can do our housework with soap-opera heroes at our side. Even day-dreaming was more creative than this; it demanded something of oneself and it fed the inner life. Now, instead of planting our solitude with our own dream blossoms, we choke the space with continuous music, chatter and companionship to which we do not even listen. It is simply there to fill the vacuum. When the noise stops there is no inner music to take its place. We must re-learn to be alone."

Double-Sunrise

"We all wish to be loved alone. "Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me," runs the old popular song. Perhaps, as Auden says in his poem, this is a fundamental error in mankind. For the error bred in the bone/Of each woman and each man/Craves what it cannot have./Not universal love/But to be loved alone.

Is it such a sin? In discussing this verse with an Indian philosopher, I had an illuminating answer: "It is all right to wish to be loved alone," he said, "mutuality is the essence of love. There cannot be others in mutuality. It is only in the time sense that it is wrong. It is when we desire continuity of being loved alone that we go wrong." For not only do we insist on believing romantically in the "one-and-only" — the one-and-only love, the one-and-only mate, the one-and-only mother, the one-and-only security — we wiish the "one-and-only" to be permanent, ever-present and continuous. The desire for continuity of being-loved-alone seems to me "the error bred in the bone" of man. For there is no "one-and-only," as a friend of mine once said in a similar discussion, 'there are just one-and-only moments.' "

October Odd and Ends

2011-11-04T12:21:00.000-04:00

We've entered that time of year when time seems to speed up and the days just slip away. I'm not sure if it's the number of holidays this time of year, or the shorter days, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time to fit everything in. This said, I'm trying to catch up on last month and while there are plenty of new things to talk about here in November, I'm still trying to document October.

Here are some final images and words from my October:

While my home may be in other states, this trip to Western New York proved that NY will always have a piece of my heart.

snow in Allegany State Park, NY

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Sometimes, when I go back to WNY, I have an urge to visit certain places- this trip I needed to visit Allegany State Park.

Above: Preserved deer fetus circa 1960, Allegany State Park

Below: Woodcock, Screech owl taxidermy, Allegany State Park

First snow man of the year- Allegany State Park

Life in New York is centered around a different sort of nature- here the woods are always calling, just as the beach does in NC.

Mom stumbled on this old car in a ravine behind the house.
There is all sorts of pottery and glass in the surrounding river bank- this is a spot definitely worth investigating in warmer weather.

********

Despite promising to take photographs of my outfit for my cousins wedding, when the actual day came, I couldn't be bothered. Blame my cold, blame the snow, blame my actual lack of enthusiasm for this wedding- I've only got one picture to show you.

don't we look excited!

This dress is really lovely. It has a bead and rhinestone embellished lace neckline and a chiffon sash around the waist that cascades from the hip (the hip that happens to be tucked against my beau). As I mentioned in my Wooly, Wooly post, the fur that I am wearing in this photograph was a new acquisition for me. The fur came to me through my aunt who had found it while cleaning out her mother in law's house and had immediately thought of me. I can't believe how perfect this fur was for this dress and boy was I glad to have it on- it was chilly!

********

We returned home late on Sunday night, happy to be back at the house for Halloween.

I spent most of the day Monday nursing my cold in my pajamas but convinced myself to dress for handing out candy.

Here's what I wore:

Sweater- thrifted

Blouse- Rue21

Skirt- Speigel

Belt- came with a dress

Booties- Mudd

our house, awaiting trick or treaters on Halloween

We had quite a few trick or treaters and some very original costumes. Highlight of our Halloween had to be the awesome trick or treat mobile that our neighbor, the builder of our house, had constructed for the neighborhood children to get around on.

I couldn't believe it when I saw this thing pull up in front of our house. While it was simply a wagon and tractor covered in lights, it had inflatables, a fog machine and animatronic spooky things on board. What a festive (and awesome) way to get around the neighborhood!

********

Whew! So that's the last of October.
November promises to be an equally busy month with yet another trip to WNY planned.
Tomorrow we make our first trip to meet a prospective puppy, fingers crossed that we are dog owners by tomorrow afternoon!

I'm very excited to note that 200 folks are now on board here at the Sea which means a giveaway might be in order!
Welcome to my new followers and thanks to all for sailing along!

Pumpkinville

2011-10-31T11:10:00.000-04:00

Well, after a month of counting down, we finally made it- Happy Halloween!!
I'm back from a quick weekend in Western New York and plan to spend the day nursing a terrible cold, hopefully I'm feeling better for trick or treaters this evening.

Visiting WNY before Halloween meant that I got to visit one of my favorite places- Pumpkinville. I've been meaning to share Pumpkinville here on the blog for ages, in fact I've been saving pictures from my last three visits!

Pumpkinville is really meant for small children but my mom and I have been milking it for years now. The thing I really love about Pumpkinville is its simplicity- it has that good old fashioned, wholesome feel that is so hard to come by these days. You can walk through a corn maze, pick your own pumpkin and browse the Halloween displays all with a cup of hot apple cider and a pumpkin doughnut in hand. Most things at Pumpkinville are hand painted and one of a kind- most things haven't changed since I was a kid!

As you can see, I made a few friends at Pumpkinville this year.

One of my favorite parts of Pumpkinville has to be the Spookum Barn.

The Spookum Barn is basically a small garden shed filled with "scary" things that haven't changed since I was a little kid. I remember visiting Pumpkinville as a little girl and being so scared of this barn- I hope there are still kids that visit Pumpkinville and feel the same way about the Spookum Barn.

Last year they really spruced the barn up.

This year the barn was exactly the same as last, but just as fun.

Pumpkinville is one of those great places where there is good old fashioned fun to be had and it's okay to act like a kid. My mom and I always have a ball when we visit- she loves to take pictures and I love to ham it up.

In a world where everything is so high-tech, it's wonderful to see such a simple place thrive. Someday I hope to share Pumpkinville with my own children and I can only hope it will mean as much to them as it does to me.

Wooly, Wooly

2011-10-26T15:42:00.000-04:00

It's about 75 degrees and oh so sunny on the coast of North Carolina and I'm dressed head to toe in wool (needless to say I'm quite toasty). In just a few short hours my beau and I will be boarding a plane back to the ice box that is Western New York and, just our luck, they're calling for snow this weekend. Now don't get me wrong, I love snow but I like it much better when it doesn't fall on pumpkins.

all these extra layers make me look so thick!

We're headed home to yet another cousins wedding- a wedding that was supposed to take place outside but will likely be moved indoors (planning an outside wedding for Oct. 29 in WNY= delusional).

I've got a really lovely dress picked out for this event and I absolutely promise to take pictures this time. I'm also very excited to wear a newly acquired vintage fur for this event- it's so new I've never even touched it as it has been waiting for me to fetch it from NY. I hope it's everything I've been dreaming it would be, otherwise I'll be cold!

practicing my teacher look- I see now that it's more comical than stern.

After the wedding it's a mad dash back to the Carolinas for Halloween. Still have pumpkins to carve!

Jacket- Vintage Pendleton

Blouse- Thrifted

Belt- Came with a department store skirt (classy right?)

Skirt- Thrifted

Wool Stockings- Christmas gift

Booties- Mudd

The Raven

2011-10-25T08:27:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's become rather cliché to read this particular poem for Halloween, but when Vincent Price reads it (scroll down), it's so much better. Plus, these images from Gustave Doré are pretty fantastic as well.

The Raven

Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

" 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;

Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow, sorrow for the lost Lenore,.

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore,

Nameless here forevermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me---filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,

" 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door,

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door.

This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"Sir," said I, "or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is, I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you." Here I opened wide the door;---

Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word,

Lenore?, This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word,

"Lenore!" Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping, something louder than before,

"Surely," said I, "surely, that is something at my window lattice.

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore.

Let my heart be still a moment, and this mystery explore.

" 'Tis the wind, and nothing more."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately raven, of the saintly days of yore.

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door.

Perched upon a bust of Pallas, just above my chamber door,

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven thou," I said, "art sure no craven,

Ghastly, grim, and ancient raven, wandering from the nightly shore.

Tell me what the lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore."

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning, little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door,

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as "Nevermore."

But the raven, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing further then he uttered; not a feather then he fluttered;

Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before;

On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."

Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,

Caught from some unhappy master, whom unmerciful disaster

Followed fast and followed faster, till his songs one burden bore,---

Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore

Of "Never---nevermore."

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore --

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

Thus I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl, whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er

She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee -- by these angels he hath

Sent thee respite---respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!

Quaff, O quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!"

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!

Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted--

On this home by horror haunted--tell me truly, I implore:

Is there--is there balm in Gilead?--tell me--tell me I implore!"

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil--prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that heaven that bends above us--by that God we both adore--

Tell this soul with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden, whom the angels name Lenore---

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Lenore?

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting--

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken! -- quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming.

And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted---nevermore!

To see more Doré illustrations, visit this site.

There's nothing like a little Price for Halloween.

Halloween at Home

2011-10-23T19:13:00.000-04:00

I've been dragging my feet on decorating for Halloween, which is unlike me. I love to decorate, I really do, but when the rest of the neighborhood had their decorations up three weeks ago and stores put their Christmas decorations out at about the same time, I was really put off. Finally I found some time and motivation to get our house looking spooky.
The prospect of trick-or-treaters (we are sure to have lots this year) was enough to get me planning but executing the plan was difficult- I had left myself with a big project and a small amount of time to do it in. After entire Sunday spent painting and glueing, I finally finished the banners I had envisioned and used the rest of the odds and ends in my Halloween box to do what I could.

My banner is simply painted burlap glued to clothes line and fastened to the porch with ribbon. The stairs are flanked by creepy cloth and topped with some glittery garland and a "Boo!" wedge of burlap. I've also spiderwebbed the porch and improvised a spooky wreath. I still have some decorating to do, pumpkins and paper lanterns, but these things must be done last minute. I am also planning on lining the drive way and sidewalk with the luminaries I made last year.

I am so happy to have this large porch at our new house- it's so straight forward to decorate, unlike the triangular entry at the rental house I decorated last year. While decorating for Halloween, my mind can't help but wander to thoughts of greenery and lights draped over the porch railing at Christmas. It's also nice to think that any effort I put into decorations this year will be appreciated for years to come. Hopefully we're done moving around for a while.
I'll be sure to snap a few shots of everything illuminated just as I did last Halloween. It sure is nice to be able to look back on years past especially when things look so much better in the present.

How are you decorating for Halloween this year?

Nosferatu (1922)

2011-10-21T19:37:00.001-04:00

Continuing with this month's halloween theme, I present one of my favorites films:

Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrors

The first and only production of Prana Film, Nosferatu was released in 1922. Unable to attain the rights to Bram Stoker's Dracula, Enrico Dieckmann and Albin Grau hired literary Expressionist Henrik Galeen to compose a screen play of a similar nature. Nosferatu replaced the term vampire and Orlok replaced Dracula but many elements of the story remained the same. Prana Films was later sued by Stoker's widow, thus putting an end to their movie career.

Filming of the movie was done in a meticulous fashion. Having only one camera, and thus only one negative, filming was planned and shot with care. After the release of the film, the perfect shots and lighting were criticized as being not suitable for the horror genre. Personally, I think the technically perfect shots are part of what makes this film so amazing.

Starring

Max Schreck as Count Orlok

Greta Schröder as Ellen Hutter

Through the wonder of public domain and youtube, I am proud to present Nosferatu in its entirety.

If you've got an hour and a half to kill, it's really something to behold. While watching, consider the use of shadow in the film, the wonderful music and the fact that this was filmed in 1921 (seeing as how we are living in such a vampire obsessed world right now, this film was waaaayyyy before its time).

Enjoy!

Halloween in the Time of Cholera

2011-10-19T09:12:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time, on Flicker, a collection of vintage Halloween photographs, like no other, were amassed and shared with the world. It seems the collector is no longer active on Flickr, but, thank goodness, these wonderful old images have been preserved around the web.

Here are a few of my favorites:

old photos are spooky

Oct. 23, 1924- looks like a fun party!

To see more photos and read about this collection, visit Wired

It's Fall Somewhere

2011-10-14T19:31:00.001-04:00

We interrupt your regularly scheduled spooky October post to bring you this (rather poor) outfit post.

Okay, so before you think "wow, she's really let herself go," let me explain- it's been a long day. Despite the rather comfy (and frumpy) look of my favorite shoes, my feet are tired. And despite the numerous (feeble) attempts at styling my hair, it's absolutely gone wild thanks to a humid day and old fashioned air conditioning (driving with the windows down). It's about time to put on some comfy clothes, eat something good, and call it quits for the night.

But before I pry my feet out of these shoes and peel off my stockings, I had to share this outfit with you.

This post is all about the skirt really, it's one of my favorite non-vintage pieces for this time of year because it just screams fall, not southern fall, but that crisp, colorful fall we have in NY.

It was a bit too warm out for this sweater today but my internal thermometer (which is still stuck 700 miles to the north) has me thinking of sweaters and jackets.

Sometimes I wonder just how long it will be before all of me realizes that I am living in North Carolina.

I couldn't be bothered to take many pictures and out of those I took, the cat was in most of them.

Silk skirt- JJill

Belt- Steve Madden (also seen here and here)

Blouse- By Deep Los Angeles (also here)

Sweater- department store

(Yep. Not a lick of vintage worn, except my glasses)

Hope you all have a pleasant weekend!!!

Haunted Western New York: Shea's Buffalo

2011-10-12T08:57:00.002-04:00

The stage currently
source

You stand in the empty theatre taking in the beauty that is Shea's: the Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers, the intricate ceiling, the Baroque inspired architecture, the red velvet seats- it's all so decadent.

The Stage 1926
Source

Suddenly, you are aware that you are no longer alone in admiring this grand space but you have been joined by a distinguished gentleman, he asks "isn't it wonderful?" and indeed it is.

source

You turn to engage him in conversation about the theatre's grandeur, the upcoming performance or performances past, but he has vanished.

This has been the experience of many who have stopped to admire the theatre.

Many theatre employees have stories about being joined by a mustached gentleman who asks this question and simply disappears.

Those that have seen him swear he has a striking resemblance to Michael Shea, the original owner of the theatre.

source

Shea's Buffalo, now Shea's Preforming Arts Center, was the crowning jewel in Michael Shea's crown. Shea owned many theaters but none so grand as his Buffalo Theatre.

Shea's Buffalo, 1940
source

Opened in 1926, Shea's originally showed silent films. These days Shea's is the host of many touring broadway plays and musicals.

For more on the haunting of Shea's, press play:

Less than three weeks to Halloween!

I hope these ghost stories are helping to get you in a spooky mood!

Haunted Western New York: The Roycroft

2011-10-08T19:37:00.000-04:00

Continuing with the theme established in my last two posts, and in honor of this most spooky month of October, I bring you the first post in a series I am calling "Haunted Western New York."

First stop on our tour, The Roycroft Campus in East Aurora, NY.

Founded in the late 1890s by Elbert Hubbard, the Roycroft was a community of craftsman whose Arts and Crafts inspired style had a strong influence on American arts and architecture in the twentieth century.

Elbert Hubbard:
American writer, publisher, artist, philosopher and founder of the Roycroft.

Printers, metalsmiths, leathersmiths, bookbinders and furniture makers occupied a dozen or so buildings on a quiet street in the town of East Aurora.

The Campus

The ivy covered building of the Roycroft Campus still stand, as does the Roycroft Inn across the street.

If you're ever in the vicinity of East Aurora, NY, the Roycroft alone warrants stopping for any fan of architecture, design or history- but this is a subject for another day and another post.

Now, on to the haunting.

The Roycroft Inn

View of the Campus from the Inn.

photos from The Roycroft Campus website

Rumors of strange happenings at the Roycroft are vast. Founder Elbert Hubbard and his second wife, suffragette Alice Moore Hubbard, died aboard the Lusitania in 1915 and his likeness is said to appear regularly around the Roycroft Campus, often peering from windows or walking the grounds.

One of my favorite stories comes from 1997, when a devastating fire consumed the top floor of the large furniture shop building at the back of the Campus. Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters reported a figure inside the building, a man on the top floor gazing out from the flames, but found the building to be empty. This figure has been said to resemble Hubbard though some theories identify this gentleman as Hubbard's doppelganger and the figure of misfortune often present at and responsible for the many unfortunate fires that have taken place at the Roycroft.

The Furniture Shop before the fire. The top floor of the building was never restored.

Stories of secret societies and coded architecture are popular as well, linking the Campus and its founder to a supernatural world (think The Da Vinic Code on a much smaller scale).

For a more visual tour of the Roycroft, its sarchitecture and its slightly macabre history,

I highly recommend this short video:

Also, to see what Hubbard's ghost is saying these days (and he's not too pleased) visit his blog.

Look for future posts about the Roycroft coming soon!

The Uncanny Mrs. Bolton

2011-10-05T11:35:00.001-04:00

I ended my post about Lily Dale, NY, by mentioning a lady I talk about a lot here at the sea, Mrs. Bolton. In honor of this spooky month of October, here's a slightly spooky tale that picks up where my last post left off:

My last visit to Lily Dale was this past July during which I received a reading much like the ones I described in my last post. Once again the medium struggled to find the identity of the woman that she "spoke for" yet her reading was relevant to the point that it was downright eerie. After the reading, my mother, who was visiting Lily Dale with me, and I discussed this mystery lady and puzzled over who it could be. If the dead can talk and if some dead lady had a message for me, who could it be? My great-grandmother? Nah, she'd never participate in such hocus-pocus and besides, if it was her all this time, she would have been sure to call me "gal." So if not her, who?

After my visit to Lily Dale, I returned to my apartment and was trying to put together an outfit which involved digging through closets I hadn't looked in in months. Searching for a belt, I opened a dresser drawer and low and behold- sitting right on top of everything was this picture of Mrs. Bolton:

Mrs. Bolton and Fluffy, 1982

I could have been made a believer right then and there as I flew to the window, picture in hand, to peer up the hill at Mrs. Bolton's house (my WNY apartment faces the Bolton property). Had I seen a light on, discerned some movement or found something, anything at all, that could be construed as a sign, my skepticism would have dissolved. Alas, the house stood dark and still- no ghastly specter peered from the window or wandered the lawn.

To my knowledge, Mrs. Bolton was a rather superstitious woman and a bit of an eccentric; She was also a collector or, to put it less politely, a hoarder. The collection of things she had amassed in her house was incredible, from the ordinary to the exotic, the common to the curious, she had it all. Years ago, while I was picking through clothing at her house, my mother was searching rooms for some special "green rocks" she remembered from spending time with Mrs. Bolton as a teenager. I'd heard of these rocks all my life and finally was able to lay my eyes on them. As it turned out, they were not rocks at all but seemingly huge chunks of green glass. Mom now has the glass proudly displayed atop the china cabinet in the dining room for all to admire, and admire they do.

This story told, look at what I found at Lily Dale:

This green glass is identical to what Mom rescued from Mrs. Bolton's house.

Those I asked in Lily Dale could not tell me the significance of this rock but thanks to the magic of the internet, I found some explanation: see here. Though I have a better idea as to where the rocks may have come from, I still have no idea what significance the rocks had to Mrs. Bolton or to the folks in Lily Dale. What an odd coincidence for two places so shrouded in mystery, and hours apart geographically, to possess the same mysterious stones.

I suppose, out of curiosity, I may have to visit the suspected source of these stones.

This is likely not the last slightly spooky story I'll tell about Mrs. Bolton and it's certainly not the first. If you'd like to read another ghost story, my Tale of Mrs. Bolton's post describes the odd circumstances in which I acquired my wardrobe and the even stranger way her house came to sit empty once again.

As I stated in my last post, I don't necessarily buy into any of this hokum and remain largely a skeptic when it comes to the afterlife/spiritualism/paranormal but the Bolton mystery has me fascinated.

My entire life I've wished for a life more magical, so I'm happy to pretend that's what I've found.

Speak With The Dead

2011-10-04T10:38:00.001-04:00

Nestled in the heart of an old growth forest just East of Lake Erie lies the community of Lily Dale, a town that talks to the dead.

Established at the end of the 1800s, this quiet community on the shores of Cassadaga Lake became the center of the Spiritualist community, the birthplace of modern Spiritualism, and has since attracted hundreds of thousands who wish to communicate with those that have "passed to spirit".

The beginning of Lily Dale- then known as Cassadaga Lake Free Association.
A similar sign still stands over the entrance to the community.

Lily Dale 1910 or so
from Funeral Cakes blog

Early service at the Forest Temple
vintage postcard borrowed from Card Cow

The early 20th century saw a rise in popularity of spiritualism causing an unprecedented number of people to flock to the Dale. Lily Dale became an almost fashionable destination; Renowned mediums received famous visitors such as Mae West and Harry Houdini.

From my visit, July 2011

These days, Lily Dale still attracts its fair share of visitors. On any given summer day, you can find the sleepy community filled with guests attending work shops, exploring the town, or huddled on the porches of picturesque cottages waiting for a reading with a registered medium.

Once the community school, the museum is filled with marvelous Lily Dale history
from my visit, July 2011

The mediums who live and work in Lily Dale are all registered, or tested by the community, and have been found to possess clairvoyance/the ability to communicate with spirit.

A reading with a medium, no matter your spiritual beliefs, is really quite an experience. From choosing your medium (I like to wander the streets looking for a house that "speaks to me"), to sitting in a softly lit room with a person who is thought to speak with those that have passed on, a reading is really something else.

Inspiration Stump
vintage postcard borrowed from Card Cow

And for those that aren't interested or comfortable with speaking with a medium one-on-one (or shelling the money out to do so), there are daily meetings at Inspiration Stump where a series of mediums stand before a crowd and deliver messages to those gathered in front them. This is a neat experience because some messages are incredibly powerful for their recipients often resulting in weeping or joy- a true testament to our human need for closure.

such a pretty town

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a spiritualist- in fact I'm not much of anything, except perhaps a bit of a skeptic, but I've been drawn to Lily Dale a number of times. There is really a peaceful quality to the community that feels so good on a lovely summer day plus the history is fascinating and the drive, from my hometown, is really lovely.

Cat in the pet cemetery during my 2009 visit: such a fun and spooky coincidence

I suppose I am really just curious and find the idea of an afterlife and communicating with the dead relatively entertaining. Part of me, I'm sure, would like to believe that messages received at the stump and in private readings are actually from "beyond" but the skeptic in me won't have it, it's too bizarre.

That said, I've had readings that have been downright spooky, revealing eerie truths about my life, my past, my family history and my future. I've had readings where, for whatever reason, every hair on my body has stood on end and the back of my head tingled with the oddest sensation.

I've also had readings that were just preposterous, incorrect and a regurgitation of facts that can be gleaned, inferred or assumed from just looking at me.

Often mediums pick up on a woman who has passed that they cannot identify. They always claim she is my mother or my maternal grandmother- neither of which are dead. They try over and over again to identify this woman and eventually give up, without success, and deliver their message anyway.

Funny thing is, whenever this woman is sited, their readings are spot on. And usually, when I receive these readings, I am wearing something old from a certain lady, Mrs. Bolton.

Lily Dale is open to visitors from mid-June through September.

The official site of Lily Dale Assembly can be found here.

Norma Jeane Dougherty

2011-09-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

In 1946, photographer Joseph Jasgur photographed an unknown gal named Norma Jeane.

Recently, these photographs have surfaced for auction.

If you haven't seen them already, take a look.

Marilyn before she was Marilyn: can't you see the star quality in that smile?

(And those freckles on her chest?)

Love this one!

Not bad for a first photo shoot, eh?

photos borrowed from this site

Merrie Melodies

2011-09-24T08:59:00.000-04:00

Born from a desire to promote Warner Bros. musical enterprises, Merrie Melodies was a cartoon series in which cartoons were animated to fit a tune. First created in 1931, Merrie Melodies aimed to cash in on the success of Disney's similar animated series, Silly Symphonies. Merrie Melodies also followed in the footsteps of the popular Looney Tunes series, also from Warner Bros. The two series would later become indistinguishable, sharing characters and even theme music. Despite the identical nature of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, Warner Bros. continued to release cartoons under both names in order to keep the trademark and prevent other companies from profiting off their titles.

The first cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, "Lady, Play Your Mandolin", was released in 1931.

The music in this is fantastic and I just love the way everything- even the buildings, sway to the tune.

Notice the character "Foxy," does he look familiar? His animator worked for Disney in the 1920's so it's no surprise Foxy and Mickey bear a striking resemblance.

"It's Got Me Again" from 1932 was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Short Film category, this was the first time an award would be presented to an animated piece.

The title of this cartoon, "It's Got Me Again," is also the title of the music that the animation is set to.

These little mice are fierce! I ended up feeling sorry for the cat by the end of this one!

In 1934 Merry Melodies moved to Cinecolor (Disney had the rights to Technicolor).
Here's "Honeymoon Hotel," one of the first to be released in color.

The moon in this one just cracks me up! As usual, the music is fantastic.

And, from 1935, "I Haven't Got a Hat" in which the stuttering Porky Pig makes his premier.
Keep an eye on twin puppies Ham and Ex, they are about the cutest things ever!

I loved Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies as a kid- in fact I think I owe much of my interest in old music to these great old cartoons. Growing up, five o'clock on Saturday afternoons found me tuned in to a Canadian television station that still played classic cartoons. We didn't have cable television then so being able to watch something like this on one of our ten channels meant so much to me and in retrospect, it still does.

After showing my mom the Ham and Ex part of "I Haven't Got a Hat" she remarked that she remembers those singing puppies from her childhood, and it's entirely possible my grandmother remembers them too from their original airing. How incredible, classic cartoons spanning three generations and more than sixty years.

I can't seem to find Merrie Melodies anywhere on television these days and I feel sorry for those kids that have had to grow up without it.

Teacher, Teacher!

2011-09-15T18:12:00.001-04:00

Last month I was hired as a substitute teacher for the public schools in my county and over the past week I've managed to pick up a few jobs at a couple different schools.

Today I was working in a middle school and teaching a business technology class; this is what I wore:

Sweater: Mrs. Bolton

Belt: Steve Madden

Shirt & Skirt: thrift

So far, substitute teaching has been an interesting experience.

Last Friday my only responsibility was to take attendance, Monday I spent the day assisting an eighth grade girl who was legally blind and physically handicapped, and today I passed out worksheets and monitored typing exercises. I consider myself lucky to have a job with such variety- at this rate I should never get bored.

No matter the position I am filling, I am always learning something about myself or about how to be a better substitute. At this point, after a full day in a public school, it feels odd not to be leaving with a backpack full of homework. I suppose it'll take a while to stop feeling like a student!

The Dick Van Dyke Show

2011-09-14T10:30:00.001-04:00

There is just something so comforting about the wholesome comedies of the 50s and 60s; No matter what my day was like, these cheesy mid-century programs never fail to put a smile on my face. Having worn episodes of I Love Lucy and Bewitched thin from frequent watching, I was in search of something fresh and "new" to make me smile.

Starring Dick Van Dyke as Rob Petrie and Mary Tyler Moore as his wife Laura, The Dick Van Dyke Show is the epitome of wholesome comedy.

Van Dyke is goofy and charming while Moore is incredibly sweet and her wardrobe is divine. As Rob and Laura they deal with the typical 60s sitcom marital issues while raising their (rather irritating) son, Ritchie. The Petrie's family life seems realistic (especially compared to Bewitched), a fact that won the show praise when it originally aired.

The show is set in the Petrie's home and also, like most mid-century shows, follows Rob to his job in New York City. Rob works as head writer for The (fictional) Alan Brady Show where he works with fellow writers, Buddy and Sally.

I love this show-with-in-a-show premise, it adds a different sort of humor to every episode.

It's also interesting to see Sally grapple (comedically, of course) with the stigma of being an unmarried working woman. Part of the reason I enjoy watching these old sitcoms is to see how much has changed socially, and in terms of gender roles, in the last fifty years.

The show was created by Carl Reiner who originally planned to both star and produce the show. The pilot of Reiner's program, titled Head of the Family, aired in 1960 but was a flop. The show was recast, revised and premiered as The Dick Van Dyke Show in October of 1961; It ran for a successful five years, winning many Emmy awards along the way. Despite the fact that Carl Reiner no longer starred in the program, many of the episodes were still inspired by Reiner's own experience as a television writer. Reiner himself makes appearances as Rob Petrie's boss, Alan Brady.

For your enjoyment, the first episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show, it's sure to put a smile on your face.

Want more? Hulu has them all!

Bouquet at the Beach

2011-09-12T20:07:00.000-04:00

Ages ago, when not a soul perused the pages of the Cardboard Sea, I displayed a floral frock in a post I called Bolton's Bouquet.

Here's the dress again, this time, at the beach.

This dress is featherlight and oh so sheer, it's perfect for warm weather- a fact that I should keep in mind for summers to come.

thanks so much to my talented photographer for this and the next photograph

As I mentioned in my original post, this dress gets less wear than it ought to because of it's length.

Do you think it'd be a real disservice to this lovely vintage frock to hem it up a bit for more wear?

The camera caught me trying to prevent my hat from taking flight

but I think it looks like I'm waving good-bye.

So, until next time.....

Babe in Arms

2011-09-09T18:03:00.000-04:00

This is my great uncle's mother- technically of no real relation to me,

but this photograph was too lovely not to share.

Have a pleasant weekend!

Themed Events and the Frustrations of a Vintage Snob

2011-09-07T14:30:00.001-04:00

I love themed events.... in theory; in reality, they frustrate me to no end.

This, by the way, is a rant.

Last week I discovered, rather last minute, that a 20s themed evening was taking place at a private club in Wilmington, NC, and I was a bit sad that I wasn't attending (I've got a couple authentic 20s frocks that are just dying to get out of the closet).

This week, I was excited to learn that The Great Gatsby Gala had been photographed professionally so of course, considering the ~~nosy~~ curious girl that I am, I just had to have a peek. I was a bit disappointed by what I saw, take a look for yourself . Sure the photographs were well done, the venue was gorgeous and it looked like a swell time, but I was a bit let down by what people were wearing.

I had such high hopes for this new city of mine, but this gala, like most other 20s themed events I've attended, looked to be filled with a bunch of fringe covered clones and folks with feathers shoved in to sequin headbands...a look I've termed, "sparkly indians." And don't even get me started on what the gents were wearing, would it kill a man to do his hair?

It's not like it's difficult to see what actual ladies were wearing in the 1920s but I do suppose it is much easier to buy a costume or a few yards of sequins and fringe than try to replicate the modest (by modern standards) hemlines and boyish silhouettes of the 1920s.

I guess my real frustration lies in the fact that some of us enjoy vintage fashion and take events like these seriously, perhaps a bit too seriously in my case. Had I attended I would have spent quite a bit of time on my outfit, my hair and my make up and I would have arrived to find folks wearing something bought from a costume shop or just making a general mockery of things I hold dear. It's not halloween...it's fashion! Argh. I apologize, my vintage snob is showing.

While I'm often let down by themed events, I don't think I am disappointed or frustrated enough to bar myself from them entirely because, who knows....there might be someone there just as disappointed as I am and it'd be really nice to have someone to commiserate with.

So, what are your thoughts on themed events? Have you attended one before?

Yesterday

2011-09-04T17:17:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I went to Wrightsville Beach......

Johnnie Mercer's Fishing Pier @ Wrightsville Beach, NC

...and so did everyone else.

First photo courtesy of my beau (thank you!)

Blouse: Mrs. Bolton

Shorts: Urban Outfitters (marked down to $9!)

Sunglasses: Cynthia Rowley

Gingham & Glasses

2011-09-02T09:51:00.001-04:00

For some reason, I hardly ever wear this dress.

Yesterday I came across it in the closet and thought I'd wear it to the beach for a little shell collecting and metal detecting.

The light was just perfect on this rose snail shell.

I bought this dress a couple years ago, at the Batavia Antique Show & Sale, for probably more than I should have spent on something I've only worn twice.

people leave such lovely things on the beach

This black bird was determined to be in my photographs

It was a beautiful evening at the beach;

Temperatures have been so glorious and fall-like lately (and by fall-like I mean 85 degrees).

Out of laziness, I've been wearing my glasses a lot lately;

They are rather unbecoming, eh? They make me feel like an old lady.

I decided to add some teal accessories to the outfit which lead me to the conclusion that I need a pair of teal shoes.

I can see why I bought the dress, who can resist gingham and tons of ric-rac?

It even has its original belt made from the same pink gingham as the dress!

Sometimes I wish I lived on the West coast where I could watch the sun sink into the water, but we have nice sunsets too and even better sunrises. I am so thankful that I get to live by the sea.

The dress still had its original textile manufacturer tag and store tag.

Hard to believe I am the first to remove these tags and thus, likely the first to wear this dress.

Apparently no one wanted this dress originally, look how much it was marked down!

Not sure what our plans are for the long weekend but I'm sure it will involve some more time spent at the beach.

Whatever you are up to this weekend, have a great time.

Let it Grow, Let it Grow

2011-08-30T10:42:00.000-04:00

I really, really want long hair, so why do I suddenly have the urge to cut it?

Hoping these lovely long haired ladies encourage me to step away from the scissors

and let my hair grow.

Lillian Gish

Mary Pickford

Okay, that's really, really long!

Veronica Lake

Since watching Miranda, this is my dream hair (length, color and texture).

I've got a lot of growing ahead of me!

Glynis Johns

.....................................................................................................................................................................
In response to my last post: thank you so much to all who commented.
In case you're wondering, hurricane Irene was kind to us here in Southern North Carolina. We sustained minor wind damage and spent a day without power- I am so glad that the trees surrounding our house are very flexible and that we live a distance away from the water on "high" ground. I've never experienced wind like we had and I am incredibly thankful that the storm slowed before it made landfall here- things could have been much worse for everyone. Irene was good in a way, we now know what to expect and how to prepare for a stronger hurricane.
My thoughts go out to those that were not as fortunate and are still coping with the destruction brought by Irene. Here's hoping the newly spawned tropical storm, Katia, heads out to sea.

Goodnight Irene

2011-08-26T13:04:00.000-04:00

Here's to looking glamourous despite the storm
Image from the cover of Hurricane Hazel in the Carolinas, Jay Barnes.
Credit also to the gals at Birds of a Feather for first posting this image.

Our bay this morning.

Waiting on Hurricane Irene today and hoping she'll behave like a lady.

To everyone who is, or will be doing the same this weekend, I wish you the best.

Sailing Along

2011-08-23T12:33:00.002-04:00

Okay, I'm not actually sailing, but I am dressed for it!

I purchased this vintage inspired dress a few summers ago and this is only my second time wearing it.

The first time I wore it, it was marred by a careless smoker's lit cigarette.

I've finally repaired the damage the best I can and it's ready to wear once again.

I took a nice little bike ride to the bay at the end of our street to take these pictures.

(Finally it has occurred to me to find a backdrop more exciting than our backyard.)

It was windy by the water and will become more so as hurricane Irene approaches;

we expect her on Saturday or Sunday. Hopefully Irene is as kind to us as Earl was last year.

Dress and belt - Illicit Clothing

Headband- formerly a belt to a pair of shorts

White ruffled slip- Mrs. Bolton (I like it peeking out the hem)

Shoes- same old pair I always wear ( I need to go shopping)

Bicycle- Vintage Columbia Rambler

Freckle Champion

2011-08-22T09:48:00.000-04:00

I know I'm not the only one that loves to browse the virtual vintage pages of Life magazine.
Here's what I found on page 74 of the August 21, 1939 edition:

Bonnet and curls....isn't she sweet?!

also on the page

I'm loving Katharine's freckles!

See a previous post about freckles here.

Mountain Prize

2011-08-17T16:17:00.002-04:00

While driving aimlessly around the city of Denver last month, my beau and I ran smack into antique row. This serendipitous discovery was hard to just drive by so we of course stopped and browsed for a bit and what wonderful things we saw! Shops were simply dripping with Arts & Crafts furniture, exotic architectural pieces and wonderful Western decor. If I were a rich girl, Denver is where I would shop.

While we mostly looked and drooled, my boyfriend thought it necessary to find me another wonderful, wearable prize- a pair of earrings.

Yep, they're large, green, made of lucite and filled with tiny pearls and seashells.

As he put it, these earrings are "perfect for my current obsessions."

Now to find something to wear them with!

Blogs you simply must follow....

2011-08-15T19:27:00.000-04:00

Ages ago Sailing Over a Cardboard Sea was honored with the Liebster Blog award by Nabby over at This Old Life (follow that link if you know what's good for you).

I am always surprised (and pleased) to receive an award, so to the lovely Nabby: thank you kindly!

I'd like to take this opportunity not to tell you about myself, as required by this award, but to tip my hat to some blogs that I've really been enjoying lately- blogs that you should be reading (if you aren't already!).

In no particular order:

Spiffing Sporadics of a Vintage Girl

Coco

The Cats and the Berries

The Girl with the Star-Spangled Heart

Miss Rosette Brune

Adventures with Sally Jupiter

Champagne and Lemonade

Crinoline Robot

Lauren Hairston

The blogs mentioned above are witty, intelligent and just plain fun- well worth adding to your blog roll. And if you're looking for more good reading, check out the blogs on the left sidebar!

As for the award? Well, if you are reading this, you deserve it. We all know that blogging can be hard work so I invite you to please take this lovely award home with you and display it proudly on your blog, no requirements, no prerequisites or strings attached.

Want it? It's yours!!

Congratulations bloggers, you're awesome.

Lakeside Amusement Park

2011-08-04T11:46:00.001-04:00

Since 1908 an amusement park has occupied the shores of Lake Rhoda near Denver, Colorado. Originally named White City for its display of thousands of lights, Lakeside Amusement Park is one of the oldest amusement parks in the United States and the oldest park still operating in its original location in the state of Colorado.

Apparently the park changed hands in the 1930s and underwent major renovations which introduced neon and Art Deco style to the park. Many of the rides that still remain in the park appear to be from the 1940s-60s and have the most fantastic mid-century signs!

We were fortunate enough to visit Lakeside at night and every inch of neon was blazing, it was phenomenal!

The cyclone is a roller coaster and is by far the most popular ride here. According to wikipedia the cyclone coaster was opened in 1940, check out that great marquee!

I loved this lamp!! And check out the speed boat sign off in the distance.

The wild chipmunk sign is my favorite! And we actually went on the scrambler, it was so fun!

The staride was not running but boy did it look ancient, I had to take a picture of it!

We rode on the matterhorn which was a little too intense for my beau, but incredibly fun.

We also went on the ferris wheel, which freaked me out- who knew I was afraid of heights!

Apparently we are becoming scaredy-cats in our advanced age, haha!

I visited Lakeside with my boyfriend, his cousin and second cousins, who are ten and twelve, and a good time was had by all of us!

The park was filled with young and old alike; it's wonderful that such a great old place is still being enjoyed and appreciated!

Le Voyage dans la Lune

2011-07-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

Based on the novels of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, Le Voyage dans la lune tells the tale of six brave astronomers that are launched, via giant cannon, to the moon.

Written and directed in 1902 by Georges Méliès, Le voyage dans la lune is the first science fiction film and features impressive special effects and animation for the period.

While Méliès intended to profit from the release of his film in the United States, Thomas Edison pirated the film and distributed it; Méliès eventually went bankrupt.

More than a hundred years after it's creation, La voyage dans la lune is still influential. In fact, the music video for The Smashing Pumpkins' song "Tonight, Tonight" bears great similarity to Méliès' film.

After all these years, this music video is still one of my favorites.

Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight by krematoria

The other day I stumbled on The Submarines and their video for the song "Fire," which seems to draw inspiration from La voyage dans la lune as well.

I've got some wonderful post for you from my time here in Denver, this city is beautiful!!!
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Life at the Sea

2011-07-27T12:26:00.002-04:00

Where the river meets the sea

Sunday morning my boyfriend and I woke up early to fish in the cool hours of the day (cool is a relative term, it was 80 degrees at 5 am). We went to the beach under dramatic stormy skies and watched as the sun slowly broke through turning a dark early morning into a beautiful sunny day. I didn't catch much, I was too busy running around taking pictures. I am officially in love with this time of day, it's an incredible feeling to be the first to discover what treasures the tide has washed ashore.

A lady Blue Crab (deceased). Female blue crabs have orange claws, males do not. Just like a lady to paint her nails!

Cannonball Jellyfish (also called Jellybomb and Cabbage head jelly), a favorite snack of sea turtles, frequent our beaches and water.

Here's a video I made during the spring of the Atlantic Coquina, a bivalve mollusk that digs itself into the sand with a powerful "foot". Coquinas have the most beautiful pastel shells; the interior, visible after the creature has died, is also a beautiful deep purple.

Forgive the shaky quality that this video has, it is made of photographs strung together.

The song featured is from the surrealist film Un Chien Andalou

I made this video for my little cousin who enjoyed collecting these shells not realizing that they were alive. When her pretty little shells began to smell, she realized she had committed coquina genocide; she now picks up only open and empty shells when she visits the beach.

That's all for today, just wanted to share a bit of the sea with you.

Tomorrow my beau and I travel inland to Denver, Colorado.

Dog Days

2011-07-26T12:06:00.001-04:00

I've got dogs on the brain.

My great grandpa and his collie

Finally, after a year of waiting, my boyfriend and I are in the right position to get a dog.

He has his heart set on adopting a Basset Hound and I understand why, who can resist those droopy ears and eyes?! Now to scour the shelters for our Sam Fisher (yep, my boyfriend has already named his dog!)

I'd love to hear about your four-legged pal!

Thoroughly Modern Ginger

2011-07-23T11:34:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, when I like an outfit, I'll wear it a bunch or make several variations of the ensemble until I get bored with it. Right now I'm in love with a belt and necklace, neither of which are vintage, and I'm having fun creating outfits that incorporate these pieces.

The thoroughly modern outfit below features the necklace and belt, my longtime favorite skirt (from Newport News), a department store top and my trusty tan shoes. I wore this outfit to see the new Captain America movie!

It was so humid yesterday, the camera was fogging up!

photos courtesy of my beau, thank you!

This outfit looks familiar right? Maybe a little bit like the outfit I put together with my altered skirt? Yeah, I'm not a very creative dresser. If I like the way something feels and looks, I'll wear it again and again.

I cannot explain my recent attachment to the belt and necklace. I found both items when I went back to WNY, they were in a drawer with other accessories I had left behind, and as soon as I saw them I was attached. They kind of have a western feel don't they? Turquoise, silver, brass and that warm leather make me think of western/equestrian style.

close up of belt and skirt, the necklace, trusty tan shoes, and earrings (from the Roycroft)

Thanks for stopping by, hope you all are having a great weekend!

Fashionable Visiting Cards

2011-07-21T12:24:00.002-04:00

image found here

"Visitors should furnish themselves with cards. Gentlemen ought simply to put their cards into their pocket, but ladies may carry them in a small elegant portfolio, called a card-case. This they can hold in their hand and it will contribute essentially (with an elegant handkerchief of embroidered cambric) to give an air of good taste." -Decorum, 1877

The custom of carrying calling cards originated in France in the early 1800s and quickly spread to the United States becoming widely popular in New England late in the century. Cards were carried by the well-to-do, ladies and gentlemen alike, were left when making social calls, and often placed in an ornate card receiver that adorned the entries of any respectable home.

card receiver

There was a certain etiquette to leaving a cards. The number of cards left, the type of card left and the way the corner of the card was folded was significant and sent a message beyond the fact that you had visited. Cards were left, regardless of whether the visitor had been received by the homeowner or not, as a "gentle reminder of one's presence."

With time and increasing popularity, calling cards became more decorative, more ornate and really a wonder to behold. Here are some of my favorite cards I've found lurking about the internet.

a lovely seashell motif decorates Arthur's card

simple kitty cards

Clever acquaintance cards that young men would give to prospective dates.

The devil cards are quite slick!

A fringed, hidden name card in the shape of a fan.

The name is concealed behind the birds.

Eventually and unfortunately, calling cards were phased out in favor of penny post cards at the turn of the 20th century.

How sad! What a neat custom this was and how much easier it would be to remember names! And wouldn't it be glamorous to have a lovely card with your name on it to give to anyone who inquires?!

If you're itching to have a card with your name on it and bring this sophisticated trend back, don't worry, Etsy has you covered!

Check out these lovely vintage inspired calling cards from GoGoSnap.

Vintage Inspired 1950s Personalized Calling Cards

Beautiful right?!

Imagine introducing yourself with one of these, or leaving a perfume scented card with a prospective lover you've just enchanted with your wit and beauty.

Art Deco Flapper Personalized Calling Card

Victorian Personalized Calling Card

Earworm: Misirlou

2011-07-20T10:00:00.002-04:00

borrowed from this blog

If you've seen Pulp Fiction, you probably know this song. Or perhaps, if you're a fan of surfing, you've seen someone riding the waves to this tune. This is a song that often pops into my head (especially while riding bicycle) and I was delighted to find it on the just released 2Cellos album (check it out, it's amazing!!). Curious about the origins of this tune, I did a bit of research and was amazed to find that this tune is very vintage!

Wikipedia credits the Michalis Patrinos rebetiko band for the origin of this song and sites the year of its creation as 1927. The song is a greek tune and the title, Misirlou, refers to a Muslim Egyptian girl. Since '27, the song has changed hands numerous times eventually gaining words, renaming a dance, and providing the soundtrack for American surf culture.

Here are a few videos claiming to be the original Misirlou.
The sound is much more exotic than the tune we are familiar with today.

Xavier Cugat's 1944 recording.

Dick Dale is most often associated with this tune. His '62 version of this song has been covered and recovered, more recently by the Black Eyed Peas, who sampled a bit for Pump It, and, as I mentioned before, the Croatian duo- 2Cellos.

Check out this clip from the 1963 film "A Swingin' Affair" that features Dick Dale & The Deltones playing Misirlou- it's a real hoot!!

Another version you may be familiar with is the one performed by The Beach Boys in 1963.
I don't know about you but I much prefer Dale's take on this tune!!

Old Family Photos: Grandma Roseanna

2011-07-18T14:45:00.000-04:00

Next month, my grandparents will celebrate fifty years of marriage (wow!). Recently my mother and I have been working on a gift for their anniversary, a photo album that spans their fifty years together. Since my grandparents never kept their photos organized, I have never seen many of the photographs that I am putting into the album. Turns out, my grandpa loved to use the camera so there are plenty of photos of my grandma and I am just smitten with all of them!

My favorite photo, Grandma at the beach!

Why didn't anyone ever tell me I looked like my grandma!?! Not only do we have the same bathing suit, our legs are the same!

Grandma has naturally straight hair so she must have set her hair in this photograph and the one below.

The photo above is certainly not the most flattering but isn't Grandma's dress lovely!

Grandma and Grandpa planting a tree (probably 1962, it looks like Grandma is pregnant with my dad!)

Grandma is just too cute with that scarf on her head!

Another great dress! If only she had saved her wardrobe!

Okay, and I couldn't resist posting this one. This is me! And my grandma, of course.

I apologize in advance for all the family photos I post! I can't help it! I love old photos and they're even better when they're of people I know! I'll try to find something more interesting to post soon (I promise).

The Auction

2011-07-17T10:06:00.001-04:00

Last month I waxed nostalgic in my Happy June post about the community market in Springville, New York. While in New York I was able to make a visit to Gentner's Market, "the auction" as we fondly refer to it, with my mother and her friend. Since I was flying back to North Carolina and had limited space for goodies, and as usual, was flat broke, I spent my time browsing and photographing.

Here are some of the highlights of the morning I spent at the auction:

Top left: A pile of cages that animals are brought in. Animals are auctioned off in the afternoon.

Top right: Gentner's big red barn, where the animals are housed until auction time.
Bottom left: An adorable robot for sale on the hill (the hill is like a flea market).Bottom right: Awesome vintage children's toy. I'd love to have a piece like this for a vintage circus themed nursery (years from now of course).

Top left: Vintage products from the Larkin Company, relics of Buffalo's booming industrial age.

Top right: great old rotary dial telephone and a nifty bottle of turpentine.Bottom left: Chalkware!!! Is that snow white?Bottom right: Fantastic glassware at this booth. Not only were these glasses cool but check little creamer cow and blue bottle in the background!

Top left: Another shot of the big red barn.
Top right: A goat waiting for auction.
Bottom left: A sampling of produce for sale. The cherries were delicious and so was the cheese curd we bought!
Bottom right: Believe it or not these are chickens (in a rabbit cage).
They are called "Silkies" and have fabulous feather headdresses on!
They, like the goat in the picture above, are waiting to be sold at auction.
(I raised this variety of chickens as a child and loved them.....I'm still such a farm girl at heart).

What a fantastic morning we had at the auction! Oh how I missed the sights and sounds (and tastes!) of Gentner's! I have yet to find anything like it here in North Carolina but I'm sure enjoying the search.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!

I finally got to wear.....

2011-07-12T11:31:00.001-04:00

Back when I had money to burn, I was terrible about what I bought. If it was vintage, it fit me and it was a semi-reasonable price, I bought it. Needless to say this habit has resulted in a number of fabulous frocks that just hang in the closet- many too fancy for everyday wear but far to pretty to part with.

One such frock finally got some wear at my cousins wedding on Saturday and luckily a few folks snapped some photographs so I could show you!

(Ignore the hair, I neglected to give myself enough time to do it!)

Here I am decorating the carriage that transported the bride and groom from the ceremony to the reception.

This dress is just so darling! And the fabric has such a lovely shimmer to it.
Here's a close up of the fabric, isn't the pattern interesting?

Here's a better view of the dress (and me doing the chicken dance with my little cousin)

I generally prefer a higher waistline but this drop waist was really sweet on this dress.

I also think the dress would have looked better with a crinoline under it but I wanted to keep my outfit simple out of respect for the bride.

It's hard to tell, but there is a darling bow at the back of the dress.

This dress also gave me an opportunity to use the shoes and clutch I bought for the Marine Corps ball!

It always makes me feel better about an outfit when I can accessorize with items I already have instead of having to run out and buy something.

My beau and I had a really wonderful time at the wedding and we are looking forward to another wedding later this month- this time we travel to Denver, Colorado! I am especially looking forward to another occasion to wear a wonderful dress that has just been hanging in the closet.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!!

Desert Prize

2011-07-09T11:51:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday my beau returned from his month long business trip to the California desert with a gift in hand. Thoughtful guy that he is, he stopped in at Ricochet Vintage Wears in Joshua Tree and found me this lovely item:

Isn't it sweet?

I'm always curious to know more about my vintage items but alas I couldn't make out the stamp on the back side of this butterfly.

Determined to discover something about this pin I searched "abalone butterfly" on Etsy and found many that looked similar, such as this beauty:

Signed Sterling Silver Mexican Butterfly Brooch on Etsy

Turns out my little butterfly may very well be from the 1950s or 60s and was very possibly made in Mexico!

What a great find, well done beau!

Sea Treasures

2011-07-06T17:45:00.000-04:00

Can you believe this little gal caught this big shark!?!

This weekend I had such good luck at the beach, I just had to share!!

Okay, no, I didn't catch a record breaking shark,

but I did find this just tumbling in the surf:

A giant shark tooth! At nearly 4" it's the biggest we've found yet!

It's not in the best shape but I think it would look lovely in a shadow box on the wall in my "study".

In non-shark related news, I'd like to welcome all the new readers that have recently found the blog! Thanks so much to everyone for sailing along and look for more posts very soon on more vintage related topics! This week I'm back in Western New York and itching to share some of my favorite places and things with you!!

Altered: Thrifted Skirt

2011-06-26T21:10:00.000-04:00

Last week I posted some of my finds which included a skirt from a local Salvation Army.

I mentioned that the skirt needed some alteration and for once I didn't procrastinate, got it hemmed and photographed it so I could show you!

So here is the skirt before alteration:

The skirt was far too long for my taste.

I'm really not a fond of my legs and this skirt just fell in that "cankle" area which I found to make my legs look even less attractive and the skirt rather unflattering and kind of dowdy looking.

So, I took the skirt up quite a bit and I'm pretty satisfied with the results.

sorry for the odd angle!

I didn't remove any fabric, just rolled it up and sewed it, so it could be let out at some point- if I'm ever feeling better about my cankles. Also, I used my sewing machine to hem this skirt, which I had no idea I could do!

(I've been reading the manual that came with the machine and there are

just so many things it is capable of!)

Some more pictures, might as well turn this into a closet post!

I do love this top! Such a sucker for anything cream and lacy.

Top: by Daytrip (TJ Maxx special)

Skirt: 80s thrifted

Belt: thrifted

Shoes: Michel M... (super cheap, super comfy)

In a bit of unrelated blog business, have you noticed the new design and layout?

I'm always changing things around here at The Sea, mostly because I'm never satisfied! I also love to make banners for the blog and I am especially fond of this one so I think it might be sticking around for a while. I picked up the vintage sea serpent image over at The Vintage Moth and the rest just kind of fell into place thanks to the magic of photoshop.

Also, the music is back with a few "new" moon related tunes and unfortunately a few advertisements.

It seems that playlist.com has become less than cool so we'll see how long this lasts.

I suppose I should ask, since I've been wondering,

do you like hearing music when you come here or is it annoying?

Please be honest!

I'd hate be annoying the very folks that are kind enough to come read my ramblings!

Admired: Ann Lee, again

2011-06-25T09:28:00.003-04:00

Last October I posted about visiting my great aunt, Ann Lee, in Ohio. Right now my aunt is making her annual visit to New York and sadly I'm not there to see her. As usual, Aunt Ann has brought a myriad of family photos, she's the unofficial family historian you see, and my mom, knowing how much I love this old stuff, was so kind to pass along a number of them.

There are so many photos I want to share with you but mostly, since I know we're all interested in vintage clothing and ladies of the day, I want to share the ones of my aunt.

In fact, let's watch Ann Lee grow up:

Quintessential washtub photo, with a cute dog to boot!

Must keep this one in mind to recreate with my own children someday, if that day ever comes : )

Aunt Ann and my grandfather, John.

This little boy grew up to be this man.

And don't you just love Aunt Ann's playsuit?!

Aunt Ann and Grandpa once again, this time on a fantastic car!

Aunt Ann seems to have worn pigtails often as a girl, her addition of flowers here make this an extra special photo!

John, Ann and their brother, Richard- my great uncle who we call Dick.

Teenage Aunt Ann has such lovely shoes on, and look at her hair! What nice coats the three of them have, why don't we dress children like this anymore? I especially like Grandpa John's little peacoat and his expression.

Love this photo, can't go wrong with a kitty in the picture!

Aunt Ann all grown up. Here she is on her graduation day, isn't she lovely? I wish this photograph wasn't so washed out so we could see her dress better, though I must say her belt is really sweet.

Aunt Ann and her first born, Lee Ann, with my great and great, great-grandmother.

Check out those glasses on Aunt Ann! And those shoes!

I am having such a wonderful time looking through all these old family photos and I hope you've enjoyed seeing more of my lovely great aunt! I always find photographs of ordinary people so interesting, but photographs of people that mean something to me are even more fascinating.

Perhaps I'll share a few of my great grandfather next, he was such a handsome and well dressed man!

Visit: Airlie Gardens

2011-06-24T08:00:00.003-04:00

If you've read my recent posts, you may have caught on to the fact that my grandmother came to visit a of couple weeks ago. Grandma and I had a wonderful time and we visited a number of places around coastal Carolina that I had been wanting to get to for a while now, places that I'd love to share with you!

The first place I'd like to share is a historic 67 acre garden in the city of Wilmington called Airlie Gardens.

The Airlie Oak, 1545. This tree is massive and so incredibly impressive, the photo by no means does it justice!

Originally part of a massive land grant from King George II in 1735, the property wasn't gardened until 1901 and reached it's peak in the 1920s. According to the Airlie Garden website, during the twenties the garden boasted "over a half million azaleas and 5,000 camellias" many of those lovely flowers still remain, though since we were visiting so late in the season, none were in bloom.

A 1948 Hugh Morton photo of the first ever Azalea Festival Queen, Jacqueline White, under the Airlie Oak.
In 1952 White starred in the film noir The Narrow Margin.
To see another wonderful shot of White under this tree click here.

Grandma stands in awe of the Bottle Chapel

Also in the garden is the Bottle Chapel and sculpture garden dedicated to Airlie's resident artist, Minnie Evans. More photos of the Bottle Chapel can be viewed here.

Minnie Evans and her art work. Minnie was the Garden's gatekeeper from 1949-74.

Doesn't this garden look like something from a magazine?! And of course every tree in the garden is absolutely dripping with moss- gosh I do love the South for its mossiness!

When I took this photograph I was walking away from my favorite spot in the garden, the pergola.

It's now wonder this is a popular wedding spot, can't you just see a bride floating down this sun dappled walkway?

The pergola was added in 1904 and much of the original structure remains. At the end of the walkway is a lovely siting area and fountain by the side of Airlie Lake; It was such a lovely spot to sit and imagine what wonderful gatherings must have taken place here. I of course took more of photographs of this spot, see here.

Airlie Gardens was a wonderful way to spend the morning. Grandma and I walked the entire garden tour and it was really lovely- possibly the highlight of her entire visit. If you, like me, love a good old fashioned garden, I most definitely recommend a visit here if you're ever in the area.

I am excited to visit the garden in different seasons especially late winter and spring, when the camellias and azaleas are in bloom! Plus, at a cost of five dollars per visitor, I won't break the bank returning time and time again.

To see more photos from our visit to Airlie Gardens, see here.