Quote of the Month - April 2012

The best portion of a good life -

the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love

William Wordsworth



Living Doll - Miss April

Living Dolls are mothers, nurses, models, photographers, graphic designers, grandmothers, students, teachers - infact you name it, they come from every walk of life but have this one thing in common - they love and live vintage !

Meet Miss Carli - our adorable Living Doll for April - a beautiful woman inside and out....not to mention a wonderful vintage inspiration in every way!

What does vintage mean to you?

The Golden Age

What was it that first piqued my interest in vintage?

I found a 60’s velvet patchwork bedspread in my grandmothers cupboard when I was 13 and fell in love with it. That bedspread has followed me around for the last 20 years and still is on my bed all this time later. Around the same time I became obsessed with Ford Mustangs and still am.....anyone have a 66 they want to give me??

Favourite Era and do I live it every day?

I started in Vintage at age 16 with the late 1960’s and 70’s. Flared jeans, crocheted bags and gold lurex sent me all a flutter. Now in my 30’s, I have adopted the 50’s as my Era of choice. The 50’s dresses, flouncy petticoats and skirts suit my figure at this stage in my life. As I age gracefully I intend on moving back to the 1940’s where the tailored suits and skirts will suit my age bracket more than it does now.

As for living it everyday, I do in some way or another. If I am home doing housework, I may be in a t-shirt but my hair is in rollers and scarfed up a la Rosie Riveter style, red lippie on and a couple of bakelite bangles jingling away. If I am going out for the day I always dress up in complete vintage.

Favourite vintage item?

I collect a LOT of different items, due to being an antique dealer in the past....so I have quite a few treasured pieces. But I could never part with my Kewpie Doll Cleanser tin from the 20’s, my collection of 50’s novelty skirts and all my Vintage jewellery I have amassed over the years.

Why vintage culture continues to hold interest for me?

Where do I start? The clothing is divine, the crockery and household items designs were revolutionary and the famous people at the time have never been rivalled in terms of beauty and glamour...and never will be. You can purchase a vintage dress that is 70 years old and it will be in many cases, as vibrant as the day it was made. You could never say that anything made in this generation has been made to last.

It also doesn’t hurt my ego when complete strangers approach me constantly to tell me how wonderful I look

Tips and pointers for vintage newbies;

First and most important, to dress the era that suits you best.

Always match your shoes to your belt.

Hand moth ball thingies all thru your wardrobe!

Youtube is priceless with all the hair style information.

And please, never alter anything or rework a garment...if it doesn’t fit you, just put it back on the rack and let it wait for someone else who fits it perfectly.

Overall of me

:

I live in Castlemaine, Victoria, Hot Rod centre of Australia. Apart from being a glass artist, I have a gorgeous husband and 2 Princess daughters. I blog all things Vintage and Beauty at konadlicious.blogspot.com and all things glass at beadlicious.blogspot.com. I don’t like the term ‘purist’ but I do try to wear strictly Vintage... but an odd piece of reproduction has been known to creep into the wardrobe.

My favourite past time is scouring Antique stores, OP shops, Swap meets and Fairs for new beauties to add to our eccentric house. My collections include: pre 1940’s Advertising tins and boxes, Floral China Trios, Lucite Purses, 1950's Beaded Cardigans, Bakelite Jewellery and Atomic / Novelty clothing.

Who/what inspires and why?

My husband inspires me with his never ending flattery of how gorgeous I am, I’ll dress this way forever if it means a lifetime of sneaky pinches on the bum.

Anyone who isn’t afraid to step out of the normal to express their style inspires me and keeps me encouraged to keep true to myself, even tho it does get me an odd look or two every now and then. Past lovelies include Bettie Page and modern lovelies include Dita Von Teese.

Advancedstyle.blogspot.com is also extremely inspiring and proves that you can always look beautiful, not matter what your age

Alice Jean's morning tea....

I recently had the very great honour of being asked to host a morning tea for the opening of Cohuna's refurbished kitchen and supper rooms. You can imagine how thrilled I was to be approached to do this - the brief was to have a 50's style morning tea and small frock exhibition with me 'dressed 50's' (aka normal) and I was only too delighted to fill those requirements. Gal pal Brooke was on hand to help me hostess and manage (and lend a beautiful air to the proceedings), my amazing mum helped me bake up a storm, and I also received wonderful assistance from the local ladies of the progress association who totally dressed for the occasion (I have been dreaming of gingham aprons with crosstitching ever since !!) Thank you Ros, Dianne, Denise and Wendy!



The hall and kitchen themselves have come up a treat and are a real credit to the vision of the group of ladies who designed the refurbished kitchen, and then guys who made the vision a reality. The Mayor was on hand give everyone a bit of historical background to the hall complex (more on that from me at a later time - Cohuna has the most outstanding mid century musical history you could possibly imagine) and any number of local and state MP's and government officials also got to sample an Alice Jean's sponge! Oh, and see the new hall upgrade too of course (smile).

All in all it was a delightful day that went off without a hitch - filled with country flowers (thanks again Anne Thompson and Mum), pretty frocks and cream cakes to beat the band ! Here are some snaps....

Shame about the chairs behind the frocks, but we had no option there...

Grace Kelly Exhibition...a happy and sad tale.....

How very beautiful was the Grace Kelly exhibition at Bendigo's wonderful Art Gallery. If you have not been yet, or have not yet planned to attend, I highly recommend that you do so ASAP before it is all sold out.....it is proving to be one of the most popular exhibitions Bendigo has ever had. This is no mean feat considering they have staged two previous sensational exhibitions from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London prior to this momentous event - 200 Years of Wedding Fashion last year, and The Golden Age of Couture the year before.

Personally, I couldn't help squeaking with delight as soon as I walked in the exhibition door and saw not one, or two, but three costumes from the adored "High Society".....I kept quoting lines under my breath hoping that no one nearby would think I was insane....but it simply couldn't be helped! Not when you are face to face with the dress that embellished the lines "...and Jack the Ripper - where did he teach? Your father I mean...." or the swimming gown that lends Grecian elegance to the statement 'but I dont want to be worshiped, I want to be loved", and the perfectly equisit pre wedding ballgown that ends up 'in the swimming pool' when Tracey Lord declares "I dont know about you, but I'm going to go in the water". Yes, it is one of my favourite movies......

But so is Rear Window, and there are costumes from that as well. There is Grace's Oscar accepting dress and Oscar on display. There are outfits from her pre wedding trousseau. A replica of her wedding dress I found more captivatingly beautiful that the footage of the wedding had allowed. And there was oodles of footage of Grace at growing up, in the early years of her career, and particularly at home with her family in Monaco. For me, the visit with my best friend Brooke and one very well behaved son was delightful in every way.........

However, there was an underlying element of sadness to the whole exhibition too - particularly once one moved on from the film screening into the Monaco era. The footage made it all too real that Grace was not a happy princess. That she was resigned, sad, and somewhat lost. I was aware before seeing the exhibition that Grace had felt trapped in the years following her marriage - unable to act any longer, a celebrity Princess locked away in her pink palace, devoting herself to her children while craving greater meaning for her life. However, the exhibition and interview footage with Grace gave pronouncement to that sad reality. A woman devoted to her husband and children, but completely at the loss of herself, her freedom, her independence. How are any of us to know in our early 20's what the consequences of seemingly noble, worthwhile and fairytale like choices may mean for the rest of our lives? I walked away in awe of Grace's elegance and beauty, but saddened by the pain her life choice brought her. I am sure there are many women - not just princesses - throughout history who have, can or do identify with Grace's elemental story.......

But, not to leave this review on a sad note, do go and see this wonderful, informative and beautiful exhibition....you will most certainly not be sorry you did!

Local magazine......

A recent article about yours truly in the wonderful 'Local Mag'....so flattered by it I thought I would share !! Do check out the fabulous website and order yourself a copy to access terrific handmade local products, see local models parading local fashions, read some great articles about real people, real lives and real success stories. Above all, support relocalisation in your area - it harks back to the days when we sourced all that we needed locally, and our communities, families, health and lives reaped the benefits !!!!

Quote of the month - March 2012

“If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down.”

Mary Pickford

What a totally inspiring and intellegent woman !!

I love surprises ! A gift and a makeover....

Can you imagine how delightful it was for me to receive a surprise parcel in the mail recently? Dont you just adore those little packages that arrive so unexpectedly? It is those little highlights that add magic to ordinary days........ and when I opened up my little package, there was an entire makeup set courtesy of my dear darling friend Chrissy Keepence from the Lindy Charm School for Girls!

Now, I dont claim to be any expert in powder and paint, infact, I am usually the one begging my friends for their make up secrets and hints, but last Sunday I opened all my new little Lindy Charm goodies and gave them a whirl. Before I tell you just what I thought of my new blush, eyeliner, lipstick (red of course), lip pencil and eyebrow pencil, let me give you a small bit of background about my cosmetic knowledge.....

I didnt start wearing makeup till I left highschool and even then, not really very much till I began my working life at age 20. It wasnt that I didnt adore make up and what it could do to enhance the features God gave me, it was just that, well, it never seemed that important save for all the plays and musicals I participated in. That's perhaps a bit sad isnt it? After all, every young girl loves to play with makeup, and I most certainly did play and experiment, but in the country, 4 hours from Melbourne, there just wernt that many places to wear make up too......

When I began my working life and started wearing makeup every day, I quickly fell into a routine of 60's glam style - you know...winged eyeliner, defined brows, and as I have very thin lips, I tended to play them down with subdued shades of lippy. I guess I just gravitated to what looked beautiful to me in all my favourite movies and images - 50's and 60's styles of course !!! Never one to follow fashion trends and always far more inclined to dance to my own drum......

I have kept pretty much the same look ever since - alternating between red 50's lips, light eyeshadow and winged eyeliner sometimes, and 60's natural lippy with heavy coal coloured eyeshadow and eyeliner. It has been alot of fun, just as make up and dressing should be.

In the early 90's when I was 'getting my groovy on' with make up, I really really struggled to find a liquid eyeliner that would last all day and not crumble off, sometimes I found it very hard to locate a liquid eyeliner at all, as it was not really the norm to wear it at the time - everyone seemed to have that 'shimmery face' look (a look I just cant stand - give me Dita porcelain smoothness every time.) I must confess that I have never really found the perfect liquid eyeliner, although generally speaking, you do get what you pay for. And pre 'Poppy' lipsticks, it was nigh on impossible to find a mat lipstick in golden age of Hollywood red.

Skip ahead to last Sunday as I experimented once again with new make up.....my lippy went on mat and PERFECT in the absolute darlingest shade of red (no Ita Butrose orange to be seen !!!).

My lip pencil complimenting it with precision that did not 'bleed' into the little creases around my lips (yes, age is creeping in!!)

My eyebrow pencil spot on the right natural looking colour.

My blush the rosiest of glows that perfectly suits my pale skin (that is something else I have always found difficult to get just right!).

And the piece da resistance, my wonderful WONDERFUL new liquid eyeliner!! It lasted all day looking as flash and daring at 10pm as it did at 10am.

(Below - the makeover begins)

I am in love !! Did you hear me readers? I AM IN LOVE with my new make up!!!! Please believe me when I tell you that I am NOT just saying this because I know the Lindy Charm gals....this make up has been perfectly orchestrated to suit those of us who want a golden age of Hollywood face. If you like that shimmery face effect, head on down to Priceline, but if mat finish, last all day, perfect iconic colours is what you chase. If Dita, Marilyn, Rita, or Elizabeth is what you are after then these are the goodies for you !!! Miss Chrissy, you have a devote for life in me....no more searching for non-crumbly eyeliner, or the perfect rose pink blush, or chasing that hard to find matt red lippy for me.

A million thankyou's to Miss Chrissy and the Lindy Charm Girls !!!

(First and final photographs in the article provided courtesy of Brooke Orchard Photography)

Living Doll - Miss March 2012

How can I begin to tell you how awesome this chick is???? Miss March is the ever captivating Becky Argent, and I am thinking I need to write up one of her sayings from this interview and pin it over my walk in wardrobe...."If I cant go vintage I go retro"......you're gonna love this gal !!!

What does 'vintage' mean to you?

Besides that I’ll probably love it….

Vintage means playing dress ups everyday!

I often wonder what the person that owned the particular item was like….was it a favourite dress that always made them feel happy when they wore it? Was it a gift from a charming gent? Was it a treasured item during the depression or war years? Occasionally I am very lucky to be given a special item that belonged to an aunt or grandmother of a friend – I guess folks like to think that someone appreciates it and it will have a great home. I’m starting to collect the stories that come along too…..like the 1940’s coffee cups stolen from and unnamed Grandmother’s place of work (circa 1946)or the mink coat that shall be forever known as “Aunty Sandra”. It would have been nice to meet the original Aunty Sandra. I feel like a have a responsibility to look after these gifts so that some will enjoy them when I’m no longer around

 

What was it that first prompted your interest in vintage culture?

Probably my Grandmother Hettie. As a pre-schooler we spent many hours playing dress ups in her jewellery box.

My lovely Mummy Goldie held onto her favourite dresses from the 50’s & 60’s. As a kid I always looked forward to being “grown up” enough to wear (or perhaps “fill out”)those dresses….I think I was 11 the first time I got to wear her “first Big Girl dress”that she purchased on a family holiday (when she was 14).

 What is your favourite era, and do you 'live it' every day? In what ways?

I’m not a purest- I wish I had that sort of dedication & time!…However, I do believe in re-using and recycling where-ever and when ever possible. I buy very few items brand spankin’ new….about the only things that haven’t been previously loved would be the majority my shoes (it’s so hard to find vintage shoes that fit), and my underpants! P.S.- thank goodness manufacturers have come to their senses and are producing big nanna pants again! There is something to be said for substantial coverage!

It’s not just about the clothes; cars, linen, knick-knacks, furniture…the works!

If I can’t go vintage I go retro.

Tell us about your favourite item of vintage clothing, kitchenalia, music, furniture or whatever !

Clothing-

I have so many great items….it’s hard to pick just one…..so here are some of my favourites

A black lace boned strapless Catalina 1950’s bathing suit- just too fabulous to get wet!

A dress my Mum, made for her teenage self in the late 1950’s- it’s a white cotton strapless number, with a full skirt that has hand painted baskets of fruit around the heam- truly an original.

A 1930’s black watered taffeta gown with a plunging back and a train- it’s pure glamour

And last but not least a late 1920’s silk chiffon and diamante dress I discovered balled up in a corner of a second hand shop, which has been pain-stakingly returned to its former glory.

I also have an obsession with all things Lucite and Bakelite – particularly purses, jewellery and egg beaters

Can you share with us why vintage culture continues to hold such appeal for you?

Where do I start! Uniqueness, fit, design, quality, style, history, the fact that it’s still wearable or working.

I think the fact that until fairly recently in history people respected what they had, it wasn’t such a throw away society which lead to a certainly level of frugalness and creativity. Things were made to & treated to last. It’s something that I really respect- they way, particularly woman in the home, were so inventive (unfortunately mostly through necessity & circumstances beyond their control) in their attempts to be fashionable and feel good about themselves- I think you’d agree when you feel like you look good then you feel much happier on the inside  – I mean can you imagine making your own mascara out of soot & Vaseline and curling your eyelashes with a tea spoon or making a “faux-straw” hat out of tightly rolled up newspapers?!

Do you have any tips for anyone starting out in the vintage scene?

·     Just have/wear/drive/appreciate what it is that YOU love, and love it for what it is….dent’s, scratches, moth holes, repairs ‘n all.

·     However, just ‘cos something was produced in 1959 does not necessarily make it great- it’s ok to be a little picky….

·     Don’t take it all too seriously (it’s not a competitive sport you know – it’s meant to be fun).

·     Don’t be afraid to mix up your decades (but, obviously not in the same outfit!)

·     Who says you can’t be all vintage all the time!

Now is your chance to provide us with an overview of who you are and what you do.

Becky Argent- Research Scientist/Glamour Girl….not always in even proportions.

Finally, what or who inspires you and why?

 Can you have too much inspiration! Inspiration is everywhere… It’s overwhelming at times…

Candice De Ville Glamour and Style Sessions

For all Australian based would be vintage diva's, here is the perfect opportunity to develop the glamorous goddess within........ delve into you inner style mistress here..........

The best ice cream EVER!

The poppets and I have been on a bit of a kitchen jaunt recently - we have been making all sorts of goodies, and its a great way to spend the idle hours of a weekend or evening together. But by far, the most outstanding item we have made in ages, is this incredible ice cream....seriously, I cannot impress upon you enough just how fantastic this tastes......the verdict is unanimous in our household of 4 ice cream lovers, this recipe is far better than any bought or store made ice cream you will try. Dont believe me? Well, you are just going to have to try it for yourself !!!!

 Best Ice Cream Ever

1.5 cups full cream milk

1.5 cups thickened cream

6 egg yolks

2/3 cup caster sugar

300g dark chocolate

Bring milk almost to boiling point on medium heat.

Remove from heat and add chocolate.

Set aside to melt 5 mins, then whisk until smooth.

Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with sugar until very thick and pale

Gradually pour in chocolate milk whisking constantly to combine

Return to saucepan and cook on medium heat 5 mins stirring occasionally.

Do not boil.

Cool to room temperature.

In seperate bowl beat cream until firm peaks form and stir into chocolate custard mixture.

We dont posess an ice cream maker, so we poured mixture into a freezer proof pan and popped into the freezer until it began to set (about 2 hours).

Remove from freezer and pour/scrape mixture into an electric beater.

Beat until well and truly 'fluffy'. then re-freeze overnight (6 hours).

Serve alone or with fruit, chocolate or anything else your sweet tooth desires !!

This can be made minus the chocolate and replaced with berries, banana, mint...basically anything that would make scrumpteous ice cream !!!

(Hmmm - that strawberry needs a little love - they were the only two the poppets had left me !!)

Valentines Day - All you needs is love

Darling friends, I know, I know, Valentines Day has been and gone.....contrary to all appearances, I am not caught in some kind of time machine....... blunt truth of it is, I have been just too busy to have posted this on the day itself, or even around the time.....and it's not even still February.......but let me tell you what I did on Valentines Day just the same.....

On Valentines Day this year, as I am deviod of any type of personal love interest of my own, I decided within myself that Valentines Day is simply NOT just for lovers. Look at the world and tell me that it does not require lashings of love spread around everywhere, to all people, every day of the year! So, I decided that I would invite my adorable next door neighbours, Max and Denise, over for a Valentines day afternoon tea - to tell them how much I appreciate and love having them for my neighbours, and to also show my 3 little bundles of energy that it is vital to show care and love to those around us. I did attempt to also teach them the value of table manners and having a dignified afternoon tea, but I think that was expecting just a little too much !!!!

We started by baking a lovely heart shaped chocolate sponge (recipe below), filling it with cream and jam, icing it with choccy icing and crumbled up cherry ripe. It may never have graced the TV program Choccy Woccy Do Dah, but it sure looked good to us none the less ! We got out the 'good china' (which should be used all the time !!!), table cloth and a vase of red geraniums from the pots outside the window, and made a pot of tea....then, when everyone arrived we sat down and devoured it all....It was busy. It was hectic. It was yummy. It was a celebration.

The more I work in the placemaking field, the more I believe that it is celebration that gives life it's zing and magic. We need to make time, make room, make the effort to celebrate - people, moments, good times and honour even the bad times being over. It is celebration that will colour our life with memories to be treasured, that will fill our lives with people who are special. It doesnt matter that Valentines Day is over commercialised, celebrate it and use it as a vehicle to create something special in your life - a memory, a moment, the treasuring of people you love - we can never have too much of such things in our lives.

Chocolate Sponge Cake

4 eggs seperated

3/4 cup cornflour

1 tsp cream of tartar

3/4 cup castor sugar

1 tbsp custard powder

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

3 tbsp cocoa powder

Beat egg whites with a dash of salt.

Add sugar slowly as you go.

Add egg yolks one at a time.

Sift dry ingredients then fold in with a wooden spoon.

Bake in moderate oven (180degrees) for 20-25 minutes.

Decorate and fill as desired.