Where oh where did the time go? ....oh that's right I have kids....so time flies at WARP SPEED!

I have been meaning to blog and just don't get to it. Partially because I put so much pressure on myself to come up with something clever. So today, all pressure is off. I am gonna show you what I am focusing on in my shop. I am focusing on bringing www.swoonantiques.etsy.com up to speed in two categories: Tablecloths....Bark Cloth and Sewing...Patterns.

Today I listed two new tablecloths. The first one epitomizes True Spring. It features wonderful colors, floral design and has a light and airy feel to it. Something to brighten your day when the snow begins to melt!!

Look at that I mean doesn't that just make you wanna start to garden and have iced tea?

The other tablecloth I listed today evokes summertime fun. It features ripe red strawberries being poured into their cherry yellow cartons for market. I wanna whip up a batch of homemade lemonade infused with a strawberry syrup and strawberry garnish and watch the kids run through the sprinkler.....oh wait, its 36 degrees out today. Well one can dream.


I have added some new items to the bark cloth category - and I don't mean gags for barking dogs! Cool vintage 1940s 1950s bark cloth cutters that are just perfect for your next craft project......maybe for the throw pillow for your porch glider this summer!


















I have many more fun retro tablecloths that are currently in the shop and will be adding more in the coming days. I also plan on adding some more Bark Cloth pieces. So stop by and check them out.

Maybe tomorrow, I can blog about all the new sewing patterns I have been and will be adding. Check back soon!

It's Martini Time

Its Friday, we've survived the week and its time for cocktails.

In the spirit of my postings about Mad Men and its strong style influences, I thought we should consider cocktails from that era: Martinis.



















From a 1956 Professional Mixing Guide, here is a "Classic" (Dry) Martini:

Martini

2/3 Dry Gin
1/3 Dry Vermouth
Stir in cracked ice, strain into a cocktail glass dressed with olive or pearl onions. Twist lemon peel over top.

If Gin isn't your spirit of choice, perhaps you prefer rum. Here is a recipe from the same 1956 Professional Mixing Guide for a fun-sounding drink called Between-the-Sheets:

Between-the-Sheets
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. Puerto Rican or Cuban Rum (Gold Label)
1/2 oz. Triple sec
1/2 oz. Brandy
Shake well with cracked ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Everything you see featured here is available at www.fineline-antiques.com under the Mad Men category or at www.swoonantiques.etsy.com.

Enjoy your cocktails. Enjoy your weekend. Cheers!

Creativity Revisted

Creativity. As you know, this is a trait that I highly value; I admire it in others and I strive for it in myself. I think about it alot and recognize and comment on it when I see it. I write about it often.

Sometimes creativity can be well thought out like a perfect advertising campaign. Other times it can be spontaneous like when a fabulous comedian shoots down a heckler right there on the spot.

Well we had some spontaneous creativity last weekend. My daughter's 11th birthday slumber party really didn't have a theme. The homemade invites had multi-colored squiggly lines and crazy designs. We weren't totally sure of the activities, but one thing we knew for sure was that we were going to have an after dark silly string fight. So the only thing left was to come with a birthday cake to go along with the ill-defined theme.

At the back of the cupboard I found a cake mold that makes cakes in the shape of a sphere. So I figured we would start with this unique cake shape. We would use white frosting and then perhaps make "paint squiggles" and "paint splatters" out of cookie decorating gel and then throw some confetti-like sprinkles. Maybe we could top it off with some crazy squiggly candles. I guess we were sort of going for a 1980s HAPPY BOMB.

So once the cake was baked, I asked my (super talented) husband to frost the cake and take over the creative work. As he began working, my kids heard that "dad was frosting the cake" and came running to have the chance to lick the spatula. As he frosted, it began to take on the appearance of a bandaged head.....something like a mummy! So while he worked we called it the mummy cake. Once it was frosted, my husband asked the birthday girl what to do next and she said to "put eyes on the mummy". After the eyes were put on the cake, my husband took creative direction from the birthday girl. We ended up with a 1980's Punk Mummy!

Definitely creative!

Mad Men Part 1- Fashion Flurry

Mad Men This! Mad Men That!

What is all the fuss about? I wondered what all the fuss was about for the hit show Mad Men on AMC. Was it great writing? Was it great acting? Was it thought-provoking plots? Was it great characters? Was it sex appeal? Was it the historically accurate style and fashions of the early 1960s?

Well the continued and increasing success of the show, as well as the growing cult-like following can be attributed to all of these characteristics. But the one characteristic that stands out above all others: the historically-accurate style and fashions.

There is a huge flurry of activity and energy spent on watching and emulating the styles and fashions of the early 1960s. People across the country gather and have viewing parties where they dress in fashions of the period and drink the fashionable cocktails of the day as they watch the show. Mad Men's season premiere for the 3rd season will air Sunday, September 20, 2009. Surely there will be a frenzy as people anticipate the show.

Well there is much to be said for the men’s fashions of this time and how they are portrayed on this show. But I am going to focus on the ladies fashions.The styles from this time had much diversity so many different body types and personalities could be fashionable during this time. There are three main female characters that people really enjoy trying to emulate. Joan Holloway, Peggy Olson, and Betty Draper.

Joan Holloway - Bombshell.

Her signature style features lots of body-hugging dresses that show every last curve.

She is not afraid of bold colors a and lots of accessories that accentuate her “gifts” such as bows/ruffles/buckles, pins and her signature pen necklace that falls in just the right “valley”.

She likes all strategically placed details and accessories that bring attention to her assets.

Body-Hugging Green Dress is a Vintage I Magnin Knit Dress can be found here.

Polka-dot ascot blouse can be found here.

Peggy Olson - Girl Next Door/School Girl.

Blue and white checked vintage dress can be found here.

Vintage classic black wiggle dress with side buttons can be found here.

Her signature style is anything that does show too much of her body.

She is new to this fast-paced world and is cautious in the way she dresses.

She is drawn towards lots of buttons, full a-line skirts, classic school girl sweaters, suit set, bows, peter pan collars, etc.

Understates and earthly colors are her preference as she shies away from bold colors; she is not sure of herself.

Betty Draper - "Perfect" Executive Wife.

Her signature style is classy country club chic.

Everything she wears and how she presents herself is perfect with a capital “P”.

She has a real Grace Kelly royalty and sensibility.

She is drawn to light colors like whites and pastels. When she goes for richer colors she often gravitates towards blues.

Everything about her look is about making an impression of perfection.

Vintage everyday floral cardigan can be found here.

Vintage blue patterned dress can be found here under vintage silk dress with bolero jacket.

Since Mad Men's premiere is tonight, it is too late to get your outfit for this episode. But it is never too late to think about next week's episode! Host your own viewing party next week. Pick your favorite character and get your own look. Then check back later in the week for Mad Men home and office fashions.

Get the Joan Holloway Look here.

Get the Peggy Olson Look here or here.

Get the Betty Draper Look here.

Get the vintage red velvet dress here.

Who'd 'Uv Thunk - Pumpkin Ice Cream

Well we tried something new this year - Pumpkin Ice Cream.

My daughter had her tonsils removed 6 days before Thanksgiving. So I was not able to make my traditional ice cream pumpkin pie (see previous blog) because the pie crust would have been too scratchy for her healing throat. So I decided to make pumpkin ice cream.

I found a good and very easy recipe (see end of post for recipe). Basically you blend everything in a an old-fashioned blender. All ingredients can be mixed ahead of time except for the liquor. When you are ready to make the ice cream, just add the liquor before adding to the ice cream machine.

I then prepared some toppings for the rest of us with healthy throats. We had spicy candied pecans (we made ours, but you can buy some superb ones at Trader Joe's) and Nestle's morsels. For the final topping, I took several ingredients that would normally be mixed together for the pie crust....crushed ginger snaps and powdered sugar.


Dessert was served and everyone was able to choose their toppings. Grandma opted for candied pecans only, I chose the ginger snap mixture and chocolate chips. "YUM-O" as Rachel Ray would say.

I am definitely planning to add the recipe to my family recipe book.

Recipe found on www.elise.com Simply Recipes

Easy Pumpkin Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin (1 15-ounce can)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons brandy (optional)

Directions

1. In blender place pumpkin puree, sugar, spices and salt. Puree until smooth.
2. Slowly add the cream a tablespoon or two at a time, pulsing after each addition.
3. Chill for 15 minutes or longer, this part you can make ahead.
4. If you are using brandy, mix into the cream mixture right before churning.
5. Churn in your ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes.
6. Keep in freezer until ready to serve.
7. Makes about 1 quart.

The Pot Luck Dinner - Not your usual article about hosting a potluck.

This article about enjoying great food and friends without spending too much money. It is beautifully written, inspiring and uplifting particularly in these uncertain times. It happens to be written by one of my oldest and dearest friends Susan Buchanan. But the fact that she is my friend does not negate the validity of the thoughts or the beauty of the writing. She does a great job of writing about food and painting a vivid mental picture while inspiring and informing you.

To read the rest more articles like this, please go to www.VenusRisingMagazine.com

Food for Soul: Spread a Sense of Abundance by Hosting a Potluck Supper By Susan Buchanan of Venus Rising: A Companion for Living

This year we are entering the tunnel of winter during one of the darkest economic moments in recent history. Feeling insecure about the future, many of us are beginning to tighten our belts and think of ways to cut corners. However, in the midst of this economic stress, it is more important than ever to eat well and find ways to feed the soul. In order to do this, we need to remind ourselves where there is abundance in friends, family, and food.

A potluck is an easy and affordable way to enjoy good food and spend quality time with others. A potluck may remind us of an odd mixture of foods that don’t complement each other. In fact, the term potluck was coined to represent the luck a guest would have when she showed up at a neighbor’s house around dinner time. The visitor ate whatever her host happened to be cooking, whatever she had in the “pot” on the stove. There were no special preparations made for the visitor. As such, one may get lucky and have a feast, or one may be stuck eating less than exciting leftovers.

The potluck expanded to its more modern concept – a gathering with everyone bringing food to share – through churches in the late 19th century, when potluck became “potluck supper.” Potluck suppers were also formats for community dinners put on to fund raise. With this newer meaning, the “luck” part may still represent how good the food is that comes to the table, but it is also the recognition of the friends and people we have to share it with.

With a little more control than the church sign up sheet, you can designate a certain number of salads, main dishes, and desserts and create a potluck supper that truly makes everyone feel rich and lucky. You can also make it more interesting by designing a theme that everyone works into their dish such as southern comfort, Italian, Thai, or California fusion. Here are some ideas to give you and your guests inspiration.

Salads - Reinvigorate the potluck salad. Use lettuces that are bright green or red and add additional color with dried berries and red and yellow peppers. Give it an Italian flair with shaved Parmesan or a Greek tone with Feta. Toss with toasted nuts and a simple vinaigrette when ready to put it on the table. Change the traditional cold broccoli salad to an Asian inspired salad by lightly pan frying fresh broccoli until crisp and tender and drizzling with a blend of sunflower oil, a touch of sesame oil, and soy sauce. Toss with sesame seeds and sprinkle some of those seeds on top when you put it out to serve.

Main Dishes - Refresh the dreaded overcooked pasta goulash to a real Italian staple. Serve fresh spaghetti in a large bowl, coated with just a little high-quality olive oil and sea salt. Along side the pasta, have a bowl of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese with a small serving spoon and a peppermill for guests to adorn their spaghetti themselves. Potluck goers will feel like they are in an Italian restaurant rather than a church basement. Alternatively, challenge yourself to redo the dreaded tuna casserole. Add the best quality Italian canned tuna, fresh peas, chopped sautéed spinach, cremini mushrooms, and a homemade sauce, avoiding the canned cream of mushroom soup. A simple cream sauce can be made with butter or oil, flour, and broth or milk. Just Google or look up béchamel sauce and search for a method that seems simple to you. Skip the rice casserole and opt for risotto instead, adding seasonal veggies and using a touch of wine in the cooking. Certainly a good beef stew is still great potluck fare but try chicken instead of beef. Boneless is easiest to serve and eat at a potluck so choose boneless chicken breasts and thighs and stew with sweet potatoes, onions, and rosemary. Serve with crusty bread and you may have found a new potluck staple.

Desserts - For dessert, revive the ambrosia salad. Surprise the potluck crowd with fresh pineapple, fresh clementines, toasted coconut, and almonds and a mixture of strained Greek yogurt and honey as the dressing. If you can’t imagine this grandmother’s recipe without marshmallows, go ahead and put them in too. I doubt anyone will object. Or, on a large plate, display bite-sized pieces of star fruit, mango, Asian pears, and kiwi. Place a small bowl or two of canned lychees or pomegranate seeds on the plate. Aside from fruit, the potluck dessert could entail any matter of bar or brownie. Of course, people will always love brownies but try to optimize your opportunity to make decadent bars, something you might not do for your family. Fancy blondies, with macadamia nuts and white chocolate, would be a not-so-everyday bar exceptional for a potluck. Or, be like the smart lady coveted by the church crowd with her layers of chocolate and butterscotch chips, nuts, coconut, graham crackers and sweetened condensed milk. The seven layer bar may become your signature creation.

With everyone contributing something, prepare your table for the riches that will adorn it. Make it special with a pretty table cloth; use your good table ware and cloth napkins. Make sure you have a centerpiece, whether it is fresh greenery, varying sizes of candles, a plant or a carved pumpkin. Once the people you care about show up and the food is displayed all together, you have a recipe for thumbing your nose at these ominous times, defying them by your mere act of gathering to enjoy a meal together to celebrate your good fortune.

Traditions

Mid October, just about when the leaves are at their peak of screaming fall colors, I start thinking about what I call the “End-of-the-Year Slide”. This is the time when we get pummeled with holiday after holiday after holiday. At times it can make us feel exhausted, overrun and not very festive and cheerful. But just remember, while we are driving to yet another holiday obligation or errand, we are doing all these things for a reason: We are trying to making memories for ourselves and our families.

Holidays and festivities are often deeply-rooted in traditions; things we always do every year on certain occasions that make our lives and holidays richer. The constant errands, projects, and parties are all ways of creating, adding to or maintaining traditions that, in the end, add to our family's mental memory books.

Now Halloween is almost upon us and one of my personal traditions is to procrastinate with the kids’ Halloween costumes. What makes my procrastination particularly bad is our family's tradition that we make homemade costumes. This tradition allows us to spend quality time with each child discussing what they want to dress up as and why. It also affords us the opportunity to get creative with the kids in discussing how we will make the costume with the clothes and supplies we have on hand. Since my daughter is a hockey fanatic and a hockey player, many years her costumes are hockey related. This year, we added a little gore to the hockey gear costume and made her into Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks. My son is a Star Wars character so we took some old black adult t-shirts and cut them up into capes and hoods and stapled them all together.

Once Halloween is over it seems Thanksgiving comes rushing at us like a defensive lineman! It is only about three weeks, but it feels like one week. I often rush and scurry to get things just right so that our Thanksgiving is just perfect: groceries, cleaning, setting up the guest room, etc.

Our Thanksgiving traditions:

• Dad & Grandpa Make the Meal – isn’t that a great twist on tradition! This year we are going to add a new Thanksgiving tradition; the main chef will be wearing my Thanksgiving apron, which you can view on www.fineline-antiques.com under holidays.

• Mom (me) Makes the Traditional Dessert – the same ice cream pumpkin pie I have made since I started having my own thanksgiving. Another interesting twist on traditional Thanksgiving rituals. My family requests it each year. See below for recipe

• The Fight About the Meal TIME – since the men are making the meal, the timing of the meal is always built around the football game.

• Dress Comfortably – No dressing up this day. We have a casual relaxed day wearing just jeans or whatever we are comfortable wearing.

• Dog Thanksgiving – The dog gets a delicious plate full of do-friendly scraps after the meal. The best part is we get a stopwatch and time how long it takes him to eat it.

• Never Shop on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving shopping frenzy) - But I do get out the gift-giving list I have been creating all year and start to edit it. I also check my wrapping paper, ribbon and gift tags.

Check out www.fineline-antiques for some darling, vintage-inspired gift tags for your holiday hostess gifts or your Christmas gifts. While you are there take a look at our Holiday category for Thanksgiving decorations and supplies.



If Thanksgiving came at me like a defensive lineman, Christmas comes at me like a linebacker!

Shortly after Thanksgiving, we get our family Christmas Tree. We like to go to the one of the local farms and cut down a fresh tree. This way the cut on the trunk is fresh when we come home and we can set it up right away and we don't need to bring the chainsaw into the living room to make a fresh cut. (That was a childhood tradition for me - my parents would always fight about my dad bringing the chainsaw in the living room in order to make sure the cut was fresh on our lot-purchased tree). We have cut down our own tree for many years and it is now a solid family tradition. Every year there is something memorable about our tradition.

• One year we had a baby in a backpack on our backs.
• Another year my daughter was sick but insisted we go so she was wrapped in many blankets and miserable but happy.
• Every year dad has to lie down in the snow and crawl under the prickly branches to cut down our tree…our hero!
• We ride out to the grove of trees on trailer attached to a tractor. We are wrapped in blankets and can see our breath in the air as we chatter about what kind of tree we are gonna get.
• Last year was truly picture perfect. There was a nice covering of snow and the section of the farm we went to had many mature trees. Many trees had their boughs dusted with snow. It was so beautiful and quite, I felt like we were in a make believe world.

Although the last quarter of the year is crazy busy and, quite frankly, exhausting for me, I also love this time of year. I love the spirit and ritual of it all and look forward to each and every one of our traditions. But more importantly, our traditions help to give our children very vivid memories of their childhood. And that END is worth all the headache and exhaustion.

Frosty Pumpkin Pie Recipe
I think this recipe is from Southern Living, but I cannot recall.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• ½-cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/8-teaspoon salt
• 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼-teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8-teaspoon ground cloves
• 1-quart vanilla ice cream softened
• 1 ½-cups gingersnap cookies finely crushed
• ¼-cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/3-cup melted butter

First make the gingersnap crust.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a 9-inch pie plate, combine gingersnap crumbs, powdered sugar and butter.
3. Stir well and firmly press mixture along bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
4. Bake for 4-5 minutes.
5. Let cool for at least an hour.

Then make the filling.

1. In a very large bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir well.
2. Fold in the ice cream and combine gently.
3. Spoon filling into prepared pie crust.
4. Cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.

Then eat the deliciousness.

1. Remove from freezer and let stand at room temp for 10 minutes.
2. Add slices to plates with a generous topping of fresh whipped cream.

Special Addition.
Our special touch on this pie is to add whip cream with a special flavor. When making our whipped cream, instead of using vanilla as the flavoring, we add Bailey’s Irish Cream. Give it a try, you will be wowed!

Dogs – ah, Dogs

What could be better than the love of a dog? Really, who greets you at the door every time you come home - and with such Fanfare! You would think you were the newly won president. Who faithfully follows you from room to room just to be near you? Who listens to everything you say, even as you drone on and on about that annoying co-worker?

Why do I love dogs, particularly my own?

Because dogs…..

1. Live in the Moment
They usually don’t worry much about the fact that 10 minutes ago you were yelling at them for spilling their water. “Sure it unpleasant to have you my beloved yell at me, but I got over it, I’ve moved on. Lets play fetch!” They live in the moment of now, not what happened 10 minutes ago and not what is going to happen in 10 minutes.

2. Love Unconditionally
Dogs love you no matter what. If you work a lot and you must crate your dog often and cannot spend much time with your dog, you will feel guilty, but your dog will love you no matter what. He will always be excited to see you when you get home, no matter how long he’s been in the crate and will not hold any sort of grudge or put conditions on his love.

3. Are Loyal Beyond Match
Trust me, your dog will always side with you when you fight with someone. Just watch your dog’s reaction when you raise your voice in a stern and serious manner towards someone else! Or if you are sick or crying, your dog will always sense something is wrong and be right by your side. Faithful.

4. Exhibit Uninhibited Passion for Life

• Have you ever seen a dog bark at the wind?
• Have you ever seen a dog chase its tail?
• Have you ever seen a dog swing a dirty sock to and fro with a gleeful look in his/her eye?
• Have you ever seen a dog that knows that since the leash is out, it must mean he gets to go on a walk?

This is Mojo, my sweetheart. About 6 months after I had to put my first dog to sleep, Mojo came into my life.

My first dog was old, sick and on subcutaneous fluids and oral medications every. She just no longer had her zest - her uninhibited passion for life. So the time came to put her down; that was a low like I had never felt before. Making the decision to end the life of a living creature, a member of our family, tore me in half.

After a time of grieving, I longed for another dog. When I say I longed for one, I mean I felt it deeply in my soul. I didn’t just want a dog; I needed a dog. I love having something or someone whom I can lavish with affection at my whim!!

First, though, I had to convince my husband that a new dog was a good idea. First of all his heart was broken too. But he also did not want the responsibility (financial, logistical and emotional) of another living creature under our roof. It took many weeks of showing him dogs online before I could even get him to respond to my showings. After many weeks, I found a Dalmatian that I really wanted to see, and I finally got him to agree to just “go see” the dog. I am not sure how I talked him into it, but I did. However, as fate would have it, it didn’t work out.

A few more weeks went by and then I saw him. Tigger was this darling, brindle-colored, 3-month-old, “lab mix". He just stole my heart! I simply had to see him; had to meet him; had to hold him; had to have him. I was able to convince my husband to just “go see” the puppy. We walked into the room and Tigger bounced all around so happy to see us and eager to get to know us. He was full of that boundless puppy energy and loving dog spirit. I looked at the dog and fell in love; I looked at my husband, and fell in love with him all over again. I knew he was a goner; he too fell head over heals for Tigger.

We took Tigger home that night and began thinking of a name. It didn’t take long for us to come up with Mojo. Our last dog was named after a Los Lobos song, so this dog should be named after a song. My husband loves blues music and I just loved the word Mojo and how it rolled off the tongue and was almost a guttural sound. So Mojo it was, Tigger had a new name. A name more suited to a proud, strong and athletic dog ("Tigger" was just too silly and wimpy).

Well Mojo has proven to be the best dog ever and a wonderful daily companion for me. He lets me hug him and kiss him all the time. I reward his loyalty with daily controlled walks off leash in a safe open area and getting to ride shot gun with me on my early morning Starbucks runs. We have great trust in one another, love each other immensely and I think we both feel lucky to have found each other.

Dog Stuff
As a testament to my love of dogs, I decided to create a category in my online store for all things Vintage Dog. There are still many things I have yet to add, but here are a few recent highlights. You can view the whole evolving collection at www.fineline-antiques.com.

Many dog lovers love Scotty dogs, so I have a few tributes to the Scotty in my shop like this Bakelite black Scotty dog brooch.



Others are fanatics for Terriers. I have a few Airedale Terrier items like this vintage bisque wall hanging of a gorgeous Airedale Terrier. This wall hanging has fantastic detailing and is quite beautiful.



Then there is the quintessentially perfect companion dog, Lassie. I have recently added a vintage children's book called Lassie Finds a Friend. Who could be more loyal?





Another great place for a dog lover to shop is on www.etsy.com. Here are some of my recent favorite finds there.

I actually purchased this precious “Vintage Labrador Retriever Vizsla Dog Pendant” and I adore it! It is a wonderful charcoal sketch of a Labrador Retriever taken from a 1934 postcard. There are more avaialable for sale at www.Oliviamoon.etsy.com.


Check this one out, this is great! A very stylish and sophisticated sweater for a big dog. Not a hokey "purse-dog" sweater with ruffles and fru fru. A handsome sweater for a proud dog. This can be purchased at www.Hodgepodgefarm.etsy.com.

Last but not least.....If you love dogs, what about this precious, yet heartbreaking, art print of a shelter dog. Each print from this seller is numbered in limited edition of 100 and hand signed by the artist and 10% of the purchase price will be donated to the local animal shelter. You can buy this and other like prints at www.PawPrintsProject.etsy.com.



I will close with a great dog quote:
“Today I sniffed many dogs’ behinds. I celebrate by kissing your face.” --Author Unknown