Yuck.....

Doggonit - sick again.  No kidding.  Started getting "it" the Wednesday before Xmas & did my best to ignore it with four out of town house guests on the way & 20 people coming for Xmas Eve dinner & making sure all the little kiddies "Santa" dreams came true and well, .........good thing everyone was gone & the mess cleaned up cause I went down like a mighty timber & feeling like I can't wait for the timber haulers to come scrape me up & send me to the sawdust factory!  Got a doctor appt tomorrow - if I last that long!

Anyway,  I'll try to get by your blogs cause I miss y'all & can't wait to see what's up.

Sending "air ((HUGS)) cause I don't want anyone to get this rotten nasty bug I got.

Be back ASAP hopefully with something waaaay more interesting than this silly post.

~Vic~

What Better Time Than Christmas For Nostalgia....

With all the razzle-dazzle-FRAZZLE of the holiday's, I think the very best part is the "looking back" and remembering times of the treasured past.  Somehow all things not so good disappear and we look fondly at the love & h appiness that our folks, friends, and family gave to us.  The greatest gift of all, no matter how rich or poor, the gift of love, laughter and treasured memories of days gone by.  So today I'm going to share just a few things that were/are my "gifts"

First of all, me & my sis on one of our many exciting visits to see Santa.  Mom took us every year from my earliest memories to Hale's on K Street, where she got a job every year gift wrapping presents so me & my sister could have THE most magical Christmases ever.  There were many years of these pictures but unfortunately this is the only one that still exists or that I can find.  It's pretty funny I know - we look like funny little dorks, but oh my, did mom dress us like a couple of dollies.  I wish you could see the gorgeous "finery" in this picture - exquisite.  It's what she wrapped all those presents for.  And did we feel like the cat's pajama's!  She took us all around the store to show us off, and it was THE most special treat to stop at the perfume department & the pretty sales lady would say how beautiful we were and put a special dab of expensive perfume behind our ears!  Me & my sister, Paula

 (Is it okay if I say...Dammit I miss her so bad!!!! - Thank you for indulging me)

Next is a sweet note I got from my beautiful cousin Karen, who is also my lifelong best friend - she sizes it all up with her words:



Merry Christmas Friends,

 

I know you're busy but you need a little rest and this will bring a smile to your face.

 

Get comfy and close your little eyes and drift back to your childhood Christmas's. SO exciting, especially Christmas Eve! We knew we had to get to sleep so Santa could come but were so revved up it took a little while so we'd slowly slip into dreamland thinking of all the wanted gifts that Santa would leave under the tree.

Do you remember the jammies you had on? Maybe they were the ones Auntie gave you at Christmas Eve celebration which was a kick! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and lots of cookies, candy and cakes, preceded by "sensible" food, some of which may have been traditional and/or special ethnic foods with tastes and smells

that were only experienced at very special occasions.

 

Wake up! Wake up! HO HO HO. Guess who visited us and he did eat the cookies we left him.  Remember how your new dolls smelled and how shiny and soft their pretty curls were?  And how about that new bike or those new ice skates or roller skates with the key to tighten the clamps so they wouldn't fall off (but they always did).

 

Perfectly magical wasn't it?  If you really float back to these times, you can almost hear the laughter, smell all the "once a year" smells and feel again how our little hearts were brimming with excitement and, after all gifts were opened and tried, a soft contentment.

 

Isn't she so right!

 

And lastly, I visited my dear friend Hepcat's Blog last night & found a great old Christmas video of "Frank & Bing" (no need for last names, right?!) and asked him if he minded if I share it here with you.  He very kindly said NO!  Haha - he was just kidding of course, so I thank him and share it with you & hope it gives you the sweet memories & feelings it gave to me.  Enjoy!

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SDGP-hcWE2c#at=502

 

Well, I did that UNsuccessfully, but do click on the link - you'll be glad you did.

 

Merry Christmas my friends - make memories!

 

Vickie

Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby - Happy Holidays with Bing & Frank (Color) 2...

And A One & A Two & Ah......

Got this from a friend & HAD to share it here - We could all use a bit of a laugh about now, right?!  Here is the comment that came with it:

 

The Lawrence Welk Show was on weekly starting in 1951 and still has some following for reruns.   Welk was like Ed Sullivan, in  that, they were always in charge, no sense of humor, and very stiff.   At times on the show, Welk would have cast members dance with audience members.  In this video, Welk and Bobby Burgess dance with a woman from the audience, but lose complete control of the situation!!

 

 

And a one & a two & a....  Ho-Ho-Ho!

Ho-Ho-Ho! This Girl Believes!

Okay so I'm already frazzled to the core with getting ready for the big day & in 7 more days Big Daddy will probably start processing the committment papers to have me put away.  Not even one second for picking and I was starting to get the heeby-geeby's real bad when yesterday I was hell bent for one of the malls (I HATE MALLS!) when I drove by this thrift store & a lady was putting out a couple of chairs that NEARLY made me slam on the breaks - but NO, I kept on going, focussed on my mission - no time to stop......no picking money.  Hey, it's Christmas, right?  I spent my picking allowance already buying supplies for projects, etc.  KEEP GOING VICKIE.  And I did.  I kept right on going.  An hour later, mission complete, I decided I'd just do a quick drive-by at the thrift store.  Surely someone snagged those gorgeous chairs, and besides, there was only two - who wants just two chairs.  This was my story to myself.  Just a quick drive-by to see the empty space where the two chairs were.........And then there were FOUR, and then there were EIGHT!  OhhhhMYgawd.  Ok, will power down the drain.  I stopped - just curious.  They'd be too expensive for me anyway since I'm a penniless pauper.  Just take a peek so I'd know I couldn't afford them anyway.

ON SALE - 50% OFF.  Which as the sales lady put it, "two for the price of one" which was already a stunningly low price. Need I say more?????

So here's some "before" shots of the dirty EIGHT chairs I bought.  I spent the rest of the day scrubbing them - they were really gnarley dirty - with Hepcat's totally awesome "Awesome" - took a bit of elbow grease but boy does that stuff work!

And.....Drum Roll.....Here are my new Thonet, made in Poland, 1950's chairs!  Are they show-stoppers or what?!

And here is the other style - slightly different & still gorgeous!

**By the way, Big Daddy will just have to wait for that Tag Hauer (wink-wink) watch I was planning to get him.  He'll  understand, I know he will, don't you think?**

So, if anyone wonders why an old babe like me still believes in Santa, well, there he is, right there, watching over me & making sure at least one Christmas wish came true!  ;- ) 

I LOVE MY NEW CHAIRS!!!!

(and so will the person that finds them in the store and loves them too!)

Thank you Santa ;- )

Hope y'all are having a great holiday season!

Vickie

A VERY Grand Announcement!

This is my friend Nelly.  How do I know she's my friend?  Because she say's My Friend's Call Me Nelly on her (fantastic) blog, so I call her Nelly, and well, you do the math :- ) 

Rather Queenly don't you think? 

She is sometimes called Queen Nelly because first of all, she was simply born to it, and secondly, she is THE Queen of vintage frockery! 

Who says a Queen must be an old frump?  Not Queen Nelly!  Nosiree, she has her very own Queendom of PIZAZZ! 

And being the kind, gracious, gorgeous Queen of vintage PIZAZZ that she is, she has declared she will share the wealth of her finest royal vintage frockery with the world and we here at Sponge Curlers & Cupcakes proudly announce

The VERY grandest opening of

My Vintage Wishes on Etsy

So okay all my loyal followers - all 5 of you :- ) (I love & appreciate you very much) - get on over to Nelly's store, bring your BIGGEST shopping bags & your lowest balance credit card and SHOP in Queenly style!  PASS THE WORD! (and the link!)

CONGRATULATIONS NELLY!

Christmas Potpourri

Hello!  And I hope your holiday season isn't as hectic & crazy as mine is becomming - but I know it is!  It's THAT time of the year after all.  Haven't had any time in the past two weeks to do any picking (getting the DT's I tell ya!) but thought I'd share a bit of holiday this & that.  First of all I want you to know I got busted by a neighbor driving by this morning at 6:48, out in the front yard in my pajamas & scarecrow hair taking this pic of Big Daddy's effort to get the outside of the house in the holiday spirit.  Since we're now empty nester's with no young blood to assist, I was a bit worried about Big Daddy climbing on the ladder.  Since he's also my Sugar Daddy ;- ) I sure don't want him taking a tumble off the damn thing!  No siree!  So I was the assistant this year with a white knuckles grip on both legs - his and the ladders!  So here's the result.  Not gonna be on the list of drive-by sites to see, but still, here's our "Welcome" to Santa Baby to let him know that little momma still hangs her stocking with care in case he's got a bit of bling in the old sack of goodies ;- )

I really love my "blow molds" - which I didn't even know they were called that until reading (& seeing) "Z-mama's" at her blog.  She's got a great collection & I hope to expand mine in the future.  My beautiful neice Colette gave me the Santa last year & I found Frosty the Snowman at the Goodwill for 5 bucks this year!

Last weekend was a special one - I took my granddaughter, the lovely growing-up-waaay-too-fast, Tessa Belle, on the Polar Express which is an annual (very special) event put on by the California Railroad Museum here in Sacramento.  We went with other family members and oh what a wonderful experience!  If you're local or anywhere in the area do try to do it sometime with your little ones.  Most people (little & big alike) wear pajama's & slippers and the old train takes a nearly two hour trip down the tracks and re-enacts the movie with dancing and characters serving hot chocolate & cookies.  It ends at the "North Pole" and Santa appears on the train to hand out bells to those who "believe".  So here's me & my Miss Bella in our coordinating jammies & slippers on our way to a fun day, as well as a couple of other pics (of which I took HUNDREDS) on the train

(Once AGAIN, if ANYONE can tell me how to make a picture STRAIGHT, PLEEZE let me know!  This drives me BATTY!)

Dancer serving cookies!

And dear old Santa handing out bells and lots of smiles!

One more Christmas note.  Last year I was thinking it may be my Tessa's last year to "believe".  I myself am a HUGE believer in the magic and spirit of Santa Claus and I've mourned each year when my babies "crossed over".  Last year (as well as this year) Macy's put out a line of "Yes Virginia" items including a book and ornaments and I thought it would be a good thing for us to share and maybe give her a few more of those treasured Santa "moments" before she too crossed over.  It is a beautiful book & story and includes a copy of the actual letter Virginia sent to the New York Sun newspaper editor as well as his answer.  I also included my own note to her about keeping the "magic" in our hearts.  She's not a believer this year (it has to happen sometime I guess) but she humors me because she thinks I AM ;- )

If you have a little "tweener" that's teetering on the edge of that magic, I so recommend this story to share.  Even after the magic of Santa is gone, there is the memory of this that you shared.

 Ok, I guess that's pretty close to "it" for now - however, as I mentioned in my last post I want to feature some of my favorite Etsy stores that I think would be great for holiday buying.  I'm on the HUUUGE "Support American Small Business" this year - and in the future - so here's two stores I LOVE!  I've purchased a beautiful set from Bonny & Clyde and don't let the name fool you!  She makes gorgeous bath powders and skin care products.  Check it out!

And if you have someone on your Christmas list that LOVES gorgeous, different, and beautifully crafted jewelry, please DO check out Nora Catherine.  This is some of THE most beautifully designed jewelry I've seen in a long time.  Some is pricey but some is very affordable.  This gal is talented!

Ok, I guess that's it for this crazy week.  I'll be stopping by to visit your blogs today to see how everyone's hold up!  Hope your holiday season is THE very best, filled with love and LOTS of bling in your stockings!

Ho-Ho-Ho!!

Vickie

Catch Up!

This is going to be long cause I haven't had a chance to do any "ketchup" time here on my projects.  First off I must show you the gift I received from Big Daddy!  So exciting & the best part is that after 30+ years he's learned NOT to wrap an item of this sort in gift paper & put it under the Xmas tree!  Such a darling he is, and a quick learner too ;- )

And see how quickly HE learned to use it!

Yep, it's Big Daddy toiling away on the old brass & glass table I picked up a while ago.  After toiling with harsh chemicals, tiny hand sander, & scrubbing, he went to the tool shop & found THE magic tool for the job and is it looking INNNCREDIBLE!  Check it out!

It's almost all complete and looks like absolute NEW!  All "we" *wink*  need to do is put a good coat of laquer on it and it will look like the day it was born 60+ years ago.  Dang, sure wish we could put ME on the grinder & buff me up to look this great!  Yes, Big Daddy will get ALL the credit for this one.  I'm so excited to see it all back together & when that happens you'll see it too.  THANKYOU Big Daddy for your toil & devotion to this project.

Onto other little project's I've managed to finish.  First the plain little rattan sleigh I mentioned that needed a festive touch.  Here it is before.  Cute, but not a bit in the spirit of Christmas

Now it's ready for the store Christmas window in all it's new finery!  Yes, much better I think!

Then, after I'd purchased my 1950's hairspray can holder for my nostalgia room (which I'd never seen one before) I found another one (probably more from the 60's).  I was amazed to find this since I never even knew they existed & all of a sudden all these years later, here they are!  The gold on this was too gone to be pretty anymore so I got out the old spray can & gave it a pretty new look.  Here it is before (please let me explain that I have NO IDEA how to make some of these pics upright but you get the idea anyway.  If anyone knows how - PLEASE do let me know).  Before

And here's the pretty new look.  I have TONS of old, mismatched vintage jewelry & I plan to place a few tiny blings on the top of it.  Cute eh?!

And, these of course aren't projects but a few of my Thanksgiving blessings.  My helper, my granddaughter Tessa Belle

Ain't she just the cat's pajamas!  ;- )

And a super blessing - a new addition and 4 generations of McCloud girls

L - R: Great grama Joan (the tiny pillar of the Clan McCloud), my neice Melissa, Melissa's mom Cheryl and front & center our newest blessing, 2 week old Piper having a "get me outta here" moment but still absolutely adorable!

Ok, I know this is long, but hang on one more minute, k?  I'm going to do a (hopefully) weekly "shout out" for some of my new favorite Etsy stores & crafters.  I've decided this is going to be a buy AMERICAN Christmas & except for a few "must have" electronic toys for the kids I'm going to support American crafters locally & nationally as well as local small businesses.  My first salute is going to an incredible crafter who is located in eastern Sierra Nevada.  His/her shop is called NorseWest.  I adore Norse/Celtic jewelry & this person simply does a gorgeous job creating beautiful designs.  I made my first Christmas purchase from this shop.  This is not what I bought (cause I don't want to ruin the surprise) but a sample of the beautiful creations

So, if you have some time to browse, please do visit this shop & read the profile & you will see the spirit of which these designs are created from.  AMERICAN crafters & small business need our help- NOW!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving & DON'T feel as STUFFED as I still do!  I shall waddle out now.  Thank you for visiting. 

Cheerio!
Vic

  

A Love Affair With.....APRONS?!?

What?!  Me, who gets the megrams & must run for the fainting couch at the very thought of food preparation?!  But oh yes, I'm having a recent love affair with aprons.  The vintage kind.  The one's our mom's wore in the 50's & on into the early 60's or until mom passed away & we sent them all to the Goodwill or wherever, because us "modern" girls simply wouldn't ever use them.  At least that's how it was for me.  The only apron I ever owned was a novelty one given as a gift which said, "Insanity Is Hereditary - You Get It From Your Kids".  I wore it cause I thought it was funny & pretty much true but it wasn't a fashion statement.  And while I've picked up a few here & there to sell at the store I'd not really taken a good look or thought about them and noticed the HUGE variety and what a fashion statement they really were.  Even more amazing is how many of them have survived the years to be re-sold and loved again.  Oh yes, they truly were a fashion statement.  Mom had her everyday utilitarian one's that covered from shoulder to hem but when she was entertaining it was a whole other thing.  When the guests started arriving, off would come that old stained one & on would go the half one, starched & ironed with ric-rac, pretty applique pockets and the pretty bow tied perfectly in the back.  And I can remember her softly sliding her hands down the front making sure it looked perfect.  So here's a look back to a sweeter "domestic" time.

Elegant & versatile too!  (For the end of the week & you ran out of clean one's you could just flip the dirty one! ;- )

So pretty in pink! (This is the one she scrambled for when the guest's started arriving!)

Daydreams of when he gets home from earning the bread she just baked

It's gonna be a HOT time in the ol town tonight!!  Woo-Hoo!  Mama knows what rattles daddy's jingle bells (and it ain't those hot brownies he'll be grabbing for later, oh no siree ;- )

OH!  That Big Daddy - just HAS TO steal the show every time doesn't he!  But he really hates it when I get the megrams and the bruises, scratches & resulting scabbing so he pitches in now & then and not without a fashion statement of his own!  (Whata guy!)

But they really were a fashion statement weren't they, along with your pretty, new, up-to-date aqua or pink kitchen appliances

And here's one of my recent finds.  The reason I'm showing it is because of the thoughts I was having as I worked away at a tiny gravy stain, thinking maybe this happened when dad sneaked up to give her a little kiss behind the ear & scared her to death!  Did she respond in kind with a twinkle of promise in her eye, or did she whirl around & call him a sonuvabitch for ruining her BEST apron????

(Can you guess MY reaction to that fantasy??? :- )

They really were a fashion statement of the time, the occasion, and the woman herself

The End.

Cheerio!  And have YOUR best apron ready for Thanksgiving!  Who know's what surprise YOUR OWN Big Daddy will rein upon you!

Good Sunday Morning To You & Some Recent Finds

The sun is already shining at 8:27 a.m. here in sunny Sacto, CA.  Gives me hope that the temp will be warm enough to paint the old wicker sleigh today.  It's been "iffy" this week.  I've had the darn thing for a few years in it's current natural wicker color but it needs to be much more festive so bring on the Christmas red spray cans!  We're going to use it in our Christmas window display at Folsom so I must get crackin!

I've also decided that I MUST buy a new camera!  I've noted that other blogs are so much more interesting & fun because of pictures taken "on the fly" at flea markets, estate sales, and just places passing by on the journey.  I don't take those kind of pictures now because my camera is heavy & bulky & not easy to lugg around & really meant more for "photography" than just fun shots .  So, Walmart here I come for a smaller, easier to handle camera that I can just sling on my wrist & shoot with.  Well, um, maybe at this point in the season I may have to wait for Santa (Oh, I KNOW Big Daddy is "Santa"!  I caught him one time trying to sneak a blender into the house Christmas Eve.  That was of course the year he had bruises & abrasions on Christmas morning :- ) 

Had a few good "pickin" days - one was on my birthday with my old pal Linda.  Had a yummie brunch at Denny's in Cameron Park (love that place!) & headed for the hills around Placerville & Pollock Pines. We have a few favorite picking spots up that way & I adore going to the foothills & miss it when the weather gets bad & we're stuck down here in the valley.  Anyway, here's a few great finds. Some are at Folsom, some on Etsy but I love em all!

Ooo, I can SO taste that citrine martini with a little mandarin orange slice in the bottom of these glasses!

And I SO wish I were young and SKINNY again so I could have this fabric made into a fabulous 50's style halter dress for summer! 

Just simply LUUUV these Sexton kitty cats!

Just GOT TO find an old fondue recipe book & get back into it!  Yum!

An absolutely precious old needlepoint just waiting for the clever person (which I am NOT!) to make it into a pretty little pillow, or even frame it.  Too cute!

And the VERY coolest find of the week - An absolutely gorgeous Victorian era silver plate tea pot.  It's simply breathtaking in it's design.  I adore the reindeer legs & the dog on top.  A very special find for sure

So, those are a few of my recent finds.  Every picking day is an adventure, taking us to a place of no worries and things that make us feel happy.  Hope your weekend has been a great one with lots of love & happy!

Cheerio!

My Salute....

Veteran's ~ Friends & Loved One's ~ Near and Far

To ~

My Daddy ~ Daniel James Kennedy, United States Army, WWII, Italy

My dear friend Hepcat, United States Air Force

My FB Friend, Mary Everett, United States Navy Nurse

And Terrance A. Pratt, Viet Nam Vet, United States Army.  No picture but who remains a dear and close friend.

Sending my snappiest salute to all who have fought for and/or guarded our beloved freedom.  I send you my thanks.

Vic