I love this quote from Oprah:
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey
As we speak, my daughter is brushing my hair and attempting a braid in my hair...what more could I ask for?
Monday, December 31, 2012
Happy New Year!
I didn't want to leave the last post of this year on a downer so I wanted to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year!!! I hope next year brings you all your heart desires:))
I love this quote from Oprah:
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey
As we speak, my daughter is brushing my hair and attempting a braid in my hair...what more could I ask for?
I love this quote from Oprah:
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey
As we speak, my daughter is brushing my hair and attempting a braid in my hair...what more could I ask for?
Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas Greetings
Merry Christmas everyone! I also wish everyone a blessed new year! I hope all your dreams come true! My flapper friend also wishes you a great holiday season.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Keeping Off Those Holiday Pounds And Then Some
I wanted to share with you some of my tips for weight loss and keeping off the holiday pounds. I completely changed the way I ate about a year ago and it has made such a big difference in my life that I would like to share it with you and it kind of has a vintage twist to it:) I do want to put in a disclaimer that this may not be for you and to consult a doctor about your health, if you feel the need too.
The vintage twist is to go back to the basics like our historic sisters ate. I read the book Wheat Belly last year and my eyes kind of opened up and I realized it wasn't the amount of food I was eating (I wasn't a big eater just like most of you ladies who are struggling with those extra pounds) but what I was eating. Dr. Davis is my hero:)
I had resolved myself to the fact that I'd always have all those extra pounds hanging on to my body as just a part of life and the aging process. I certainly didn't want to starve but I learned it wasn't about starving yourself. I don't want to be an infomercial. I'm here to offer a few tips that I find successful for me. I feel better now then I did twenty years ago and I wish I would have known how to eat twenty years ago. I always thought it was about low fat and low calories but it's not.
There is a BIG misconception in "diet" and "weight loss". It's really not the amount you are eating but what you are eating. Processed foods cause weight gain...even the low fat kind. Pass by the store bought bread...it's totally processed even "whole wheat".
Here are a few of my favorite foods and ideas for weight loss...they do work...trust me:) What is the number one thing you need to give up....wheat. Try it for a couple weeks and see what happens!
I didn't put these into any particular order as they are all great tips that have helped me:
1. Coconut Oil - this is a staple in our house. Throw out the vegetable oil.
2. Wheat - no more wheat it isn't the wheat of our historic sisters, the wheat of today is genetically engineered and our bodies can't digest it. The wheat of the 50's is not the wheat of today. Whole wheat is not good for you. I know this is controversial but in my case it wasn't.
3. Dark Chocolate - eat away ladies, this is good for you and I find doesn't pack on the pounds. Whenever I feel the sugar craving, I reach for the dark chocolate chips:)
4. Butter - don't be afraid to use it....love it like our historic sisters did. Not all fats are bad for you! Get rid of the margarine it's full of chemicals which cause you to gain weight. Remember it's the processed foods with chemicals that our bodies don't understand that pack the pounds on.
5 Organic Milk - I know this costs extra but it's worth the extra expense. Regular milk has too many hormones in it. Try to go organic on whatever you can!
6. Tinned Coconut Milk - I live by this stuff. It's thick. It's creamy. I love it. I dump it in my coffee with whipped cream and some sugar free syrup and I feel like I am in heaven. I have this every day:) It keeps me full and I'm getting some great nutrients from the coconut milk. Not all fats are bad!! This is good fat...just look at our historical polynesian women, they were beautiful and feasted on coconuts. Another good fat is avocado...eat as much as you want!! It's a big misconception that all fats are bad for you. Transfats are bad for you....watch out for the store bought peanut butter, read the label.
7. Almond Flour - If you have a nut allergy, this will most likely not be for you. This is my substitute for regular flour and it makes the best desserts. Yes, you can eat cookies, donuts (baked versions), and sweet things if they are made with almond flour but don't use sugar cane! If you are interested in a great site for baking here's a couple of my favorites:
http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/
http://yourlighterside.com/
8. Swerve and Just Like Sugar - I use these as a natural alternative to sugar. But, I do use them sparingly. Sugar cane is not a good item as it spikes your blood sugar levels causing you to want to eat more. I also like to mix in a little bit of coconut sugar, it tastes like brown sugar. I've heard mixed reviews on coconut sugar but I like to use it sparingly as it has a nice vanilla taste to it.
9. Eggs - I've switched out the bran cereal for eggs in the morning. I think if you even just do this one tip you will notice a difference. Eggs do not effect your blood sugar. You'll find you can go longer in the day without needing to eat. The key to weight loss is to maintain your blood sugar and to try to avoid spikes that happen with eating a lot of carbs.
10. Meat and Veggies - It's okay to eat protein...eat salmon, meats (if you can grass fed), chicken, etc. Try to avoid processed meats and go for the basic meats (just like our historical sisters). Choose this over a big bowl of pasta. Pasta will add the pounds! Protein help to keep you full and stable in your blood sugar. I think this was the balance that was off for me. I was eating way too many carbs and not enough protein and vegetables. You'll also have to think about loosing the potatoes and maybe eating a salad or veggies instead:) In today's society, our omega 3/6 balance is off. We need more 3's and less
I hope some of these tips help you ladies and feel free to email me or comment and I can certainly help point you to some great books and links. This isn't a "diet" it's a lifestyle change and if you'd like to become more healthy....you can do it:))
The vintage twist is to go back to the basics like our historic sisters ate. I read the book Wheat Belly last year and my eyes kind of opened up and I realized it wasn't the amount of food I was eating (I wasn't a big eater just like most of you ladies who are struggling with those extra pounds) but what I was eating. Dr. Davis is my hero:)
I had resolved myself to the fact that I'd always have all those extra pounds hanging on to my body as just a part of life and the aging process. I certainly didn't want to starve but I learned it wasn't about starving yourself. I don't want to be an infomercial. I'm here to offer a few tips that I find successful for me. I feel better now then I did twenty years ago and I wish I would have known how to eat twenty years ago. I always thought it was about low fat and low calories but it's not.
There is a BIG misconception in "diet" and "weight loss". It's really not the amount you are eating but what you are eating. Processed foods cause weight gain...even the low fat kind. Pass by the store bought bread...it's totally processed even "whole wheat".
Here are a few of my favorite foods and ideas for weight loss...they do work...trust me:) What is the number one thing you need to give up....wheat. Try it for a couple weeks and see what happens!
I didn't put these into any particular order as they are all great tips that have helped me:
1. Coconut Oil - this is a staple in our house. Throw out the vegetable oil.
2. Wheat - no more wheat it isn't the wheat of our historic sisters, the wheat of today is genetically engineered and our bodies can't digest it. The wheat of the 50's is not the wheat of today. Whole wheat is not good for you. I know this is controversial but in my case it wasn't.
3. Dark Chocolate - eat away ladies, this is good for you and I find doesn't pack on the pounds. Whenever I feel the sugar craving, I reach for the dark chocolate chips:)
4. Butter - don't be afraid to use it....love it like our historic sisters did. Not all fats are bad for you! Get rid of the margarine it's full of chemicals which cause you to gain weight. Remember it's the processed foods with chemicals that our bodies don't understand that pack the pounds on.
5 Organic Milk - I know this costs extra but it's worth the extra expense. Regular milk has too many hormones in it. Try to go organic on whatever you can!
6. Tinned Coconut Milk - I live by this stuff. It's thick. It's creamy. I love it. I dump it in my coffee with whipped cream and some sugar free syrup and I feel like I am in heaven. I have this every day:) It keeps me full and I'm getting some great nutrients from the coconut milk. Not all fats are bad!! This is good fat...just look at our historical polynesian women, they were beautiful and feasted on coconuts. Another good fat is avocado...eat as much as you want!! It's a big misconception that all fats are bad for you. Transfats are bad for you....watch out for the store bought peanut butter, read the label.
7. Almond Flour - If you have a nut allergy, this will most likely not be for you. This is my substitute for regular flour and it makes the best desserts. Yes, you can eat cookies, donuts (baked versions), and sweet things if they are made with almond flour but don't use sugar cane! If you are interested in a great site for baking here's a couple of my favorites:
http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/
http://yourlighterside.com/
8. Swerve and Just Like Sugar - I use these as a natural alternative to sugar. But, I do use them sparingly. Sugar cane is not a good item as it spikes your blood sugar levels causing you to want to eat more. I also like to mix in a little bit of coconut sugar, it tastes like brown sugar. I've heard mixed reviews on coconut sugar but I like to use it sparingly as it has a nice vanilla taste to it.
9. Eggs - I've switched out the bran cereal for eggs in the morning. I think if you even just do this one tip you will notice a difference. Eggs do not effect your blood sugar. You'll find you can go longer in the day without needing to eat. The key to weight loss is to maintain your blood sugar and to try to avoid spikes that happen with eating a lot of carbs.
10. Meat and Veggies - It's okay to eat protein...eat salmon, meats (if you can grass fed), chicken, etc. Try to avoid processed meats and go for the basic meats (just like our historical sisters). Choose this over a big bowl of pasta. Pasta will add the pounds! Protein help to keep you full and stable in your blood sugar. I think this was the balance that was off for me. I was eating way too many carbs and not enough protein and vegetables. You'll also have to think about loosing the potatoes and maybe eating a salad or veggies instead:) In today's society, our omega 3/6 balance is off. We need more 3's and less
I hope some of these tips help you ladies and feel free to email me or comment and I can certainly help point you to some great books and links. This isn't a "diet" it's a lifestyle change and if you'd like to become more healthy....you can do it:))
Saturday, December 22, 2012
1938 and a perfect me book
I'm really liking the year 1938 in fashion. I've put this year on my fashion radar ever since receiving the two Harper's Bazaar magazines from 1938. I found this great Ladies Home Journal from 1938 with a fascinating cover. And, the blessing was that the seller sent me three other Ladies Home Journal's from the same year free of charge. How nice was this?? I nice Christmas spirited gift:) They are really large in size so I was unable to scan them but I did photograph them to share.
Don't you just love the colors in this cover? Read more about the details of this cover below.
I thought this was nice a glamour makeover....
Don't you just love the colors in this cover? Read more about the details of this cover below.
I've circled part of the "society page" in the Ladies Home Journal because it speaks about the impressive cover above. It was photographed in Paris by Man Ray so now I understand too why it pops out at you. This photograph actually seems quite tame compared to some of his other images. Isn't this nice to know this little tidbit? You know what I also learned in reading one of these journals, the Jitterbug was very popular in 1938. I always thought it started in the 40's!
Yes, you can have hands like Schiaparelli and Lanvin too! Lol!
These magazines had tons of shoe ads!
This was fascinating at how perfect their teeth were! I realize it was edited but still it's 1938!
Fancy any of these outfits ladies?
How interesting is this an expose on the Kennedy family in 1938! Little did they know the impact the Kennedy's would have on us:)
This is a little blurry but I thought it was nice to share since it's in full color.
I have a pair of these shoes! This is the first Daniel Green shoe ad I've seen. Keep in mind 1938!
I thought this was nice a glamour makeover....
Look how they colored this ad for 1938!
Just beautiful...
Don't you think the hat that I wore on the vintage train ride looks like the one below?
I picked up this book off of ebay. How perfect! I can't wait to read it! This book is from 1954 and is signed by the authors and has a plastic cover to it. $25 great deal. A perfect me book:) I can't wait to read about the beginnings of Vogue magazine from a vintage perspective.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
All Aboard...
First off, I'd like to say that Technicolor Cutie is having a great give-a-away so be sure to visit her blog. She is giving away a Besame Classic Cosmetic Travel Bag and a $50 Besame Gift Certificate. I've tried their lipstick before and I actually like it more than Mac, if you can believe it:)
1931 train here we come...
The swing band went onboard the vintage train as well. I can just image the great ambiance in that swingin' jivin' car. But, I figured it would be such a crowded area and I really wanted some special photographs of the train so we went into another compartment. The train waited about 15 minutes before starting which was great because it gave a lot of people the opportunity to take pictures. The train we were lucky to be on was made in 1931 and ended service in the 70's. It was so interesting to see the old ads and to imagine how people of the 30's and 40's traveled. It was also funny to see people surprised by the train who were expecting their "regular train". A lot of people wanted to take my picture, which was really fun. I think the funnest picture taker was this young hip boy with a skate board. lol There were a lot of people taking pictures of the whole event from professional photographers to "i-phoners".
I had the opportunity to sit next to a couple of other vintage ladies. One of the ladies said she always dressed in 1950's outfits and loved to wear her lovely dresses to church. She was so regal. A really nice lady. The other lady was a tango teacher who had a lot of her grandmother's clothing. This is so nice that her grandmother had been able to save these things. So, it was a lot of fun ridding near these fine ladies. The conductor of the train wore a vintage outfit and carried a stop watch. The children who were on the train, loved it.
Details on my outfit:
Coat - Etsy seller Secretlake - 1930's wool coat with metallic gold colored rose buttons (my favorite part of the coat details below) and velvet collar with gold stitching. It certainly feels like a high-end quality made coat. It has a label attached that reads "Arnold Constable Fifth Avenue, New York" This was a store that operated for over 150 years closing it's doors in 1975. The building appears to still be there. It's interesting to learn about the origin of these vintage garments.
Gloves -ebay, I had actually bought these gloves with a different idea and it was great that they matched my hat
Hat -I don't recall if it was ebay or Etsy...I'm thinking ebay. Red tilt hat with a black ostrich feather. 30's, 40's.
Bag - Etsy seller MeMeWorld 1920's velvet with metal frame. This bag arrived just in time, a day before. It's in incredible condition and certainly a heirloom for my daughter. The interior is in perfect condition which is very difficult to find with such a vintage bag. It also has these great wooden tassels that are difficult to see in the photographs.
On a P.S. note, here is a link to an article about what some of the Greta Garbo items sold for in the auction that closed this past Friday.
1931 train here we come...
The swing band went onboard the vintage train as well. I can just image the great ambiance in that swingin' jivin' car. But, I figured it would be such a crowded area and I really wanted some special photographs of the train so we went into another compartment. The train waited about 15 minutes before starting which was great because it gave a lot of people the opportunity to take pictures. The train we were lucky to be on was made in 1931 and ended service in the 70's. It was so interesting to see the old ads and to imagine how people of the 30's and 40's traveled. It was also funny to see people surprised by the train who were expecting their "regular train". A lot of people wanted to take my picture, which was really fun. I think the funnest picture taker was this young hip boy with a skate board. lol There were a lot of people taking pictures of the whole event from professional photographers to "i-phoners".
I had the opportunity to sit next to a couple of other vintage ladies. One of the ladies said she always dressed in 1950's outfits and loved to wear her lovely dresses to church. She was so regal. A really nice lady. The other lady was a tango teacher who had a lot of her grandmother's clothing. This is so nice that her grandmother had been able to save these things. So, it was a lot of fun ridding near these fine ladies. The conductor of the train wore a vintage outfit and carried a stop watch. The children who were on the train, loved it.
Details on my outfit:
Coat - Etsy seller Secretlake - 1930's wool coat with metallic gold colored rose buttons (my favorite part of the coat details below) and velvet collar with gold stitching. It certainly feels like a high-end quality made coat. It has a label attached that reads "Arnold Constable Fifth Avenue, New York" This was a store that operated for over 150 years closing it's doors in 1975. The building appears to still be there. It's interesting to learn about the origin of these vintage garments.
Gloves -ebay, I had actually bought these gloves with a different idea and it was great that they matched my hat
Hat -I don't recall if it was ebay or Etsy...I'm thinking ebay. Red tilt hat with a black ostrich feather. 30's, 40's.
Bag - Etsy seller MeMeWorld 1920's velvet with metal frame. This bag arrived just in time, a day before. It's in incredible condition and certainly a heirloom for my daughter. The interior is in perfect condition which is very difficult to find with such a vintage bag. It also has these great wooden tassels that are difficult to see in the photographs.
Good bye vintage train!
On a P.S. note, here is a link to an article about what some of the Greta Garbo items sold for in the auction that closed this past Friday.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
30s Deco Revival Part IV
Capturing a Deco Moment..
The staircase area in the mansion had a very vintage feel and certainly was a highlight of the home. In this series of photographs, I was looking to achieve a 1930's vintage atmosphere. The mansion was built in 1896 so you can image all the history and charm this venue has. It has 23 rooms and one can imagine quite spacious for 1896...even very spacious for today's standards.
I do believe the dress I am wearing for this set of photographs is from the 1930s. There is no label and the inner stitch work gives the feeling of an early period dress. The dress has a certain deco feel like in the pages of the mid to late 30's vintage Vogue magazines. The dress is accented with these bold gold motifs. The cut of the neckline is perfect for period dress clips. I actually found this dress by fate on ebay a couple weeks before my actual photo shoot. I had planned to wear a different dress and when I saw this one, I knew that it would be perfect for what I was looking to achieve. The dress needed some work and I fixed quite a few seams and did a little work on the gold motifs. I loved working on this dress and I think in the future I'd like to try and sew a dress from a pattern. I hadn't sat at my sewing machine for quite awhile so it was fun to bring back this dress to it's former glory. How much did I pay for this deco dress? $35! I swiped it up immediately!
Even before I began collecting vintage fashion, I have had a deep fascination with art deco. I love the angles and forms in everything from furniture to perfume bottles. I'd love a total art deco house! I just feel like there was a lot of innovation and style during this period and it has that timeless feel. I realize that the staircase isn't quite art deco but it does have a vintage appeal to it that I thought would be great to capture the era of this dress with.
Outtake:
A detail of the dress:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)