Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

Life in the studio has had its ups and downs lately. I had a couple of set-backs which made me wonder if I really wanted to continue creating jewelry. I talked to Sarah and Steve and both of them reminded me that I needed to make stuff for myself and quit worrying about selling it. They were right (of course) and I am on my way back in the swing of things. Sarah also reminded me that I tend to think like a student and dismiss my ideas and designs before I even make them. Basically, I need to shut up and work.

Late this past summer I was working with some stones I’d gathered when I was at Arrowmont three years ago. You may remember the ring I made for class where I set a gemstone in the rock. Here’s a reminder:

I then began experimenting with necklaces and created this piece:

I decided to keep it, but made a couple more which I have to sell. I think the round one is already spoken for (yay). I’m hoping to have about six total to sell at WinterFest in December. Here are the two I have available:

The only thing I don’t like about the oval piece is that you can see the back plate at the bottom. It’s not noticeable when it’s being worn, but my goal is to create invisible settings for the rocks. Yesterday I decided to take one of my larger rocks and create a brooch. Rather than using gemstones as the settings, I decided to create a rivet with a granulated head. I’m very pleased with this particular piece. It measures about three inches wide.

So that’s what’s going on in the studio right now. I have two more rocks on the bench to make into pendants, and another rock which will become a brooch. I also have an idea for some new earrings. Wish me luck! I tend to get off track easily!

I remember my mom setting up her sewing machine on the dining room table and making clothes. My favorite outfit of hers was a red, white, and blue double-knit polyester halter maxi dress. I think she wore it to every party she and my dad attended in the 70s. It looked awesome with her frosted Carol Brady shag haircut.

I learned to sew on my grandmother’s ancient Singer. We would spend winter afternoons creating clothes for my Barbie dolls out of scraps of her double-knit polyester and faux fur. Nana would also create clothes for my sister and me, which we wore with pride. I loved that she could create almost anything without a pattern. When I was older, she made most of my formals for dances. To this day, I still love to sew even though I don’t do it often enough. For me, it’s not only the pride I feel when I’ve made something, but it’s also the challenge of navigating a pattern.

The Singer company believed in asserting your design independence. What I love about this ad is that it boasts about how this machine sews straight and zig-zag. In a time before computerized sewing machines, this was big news. With this sewing machine, you could not only sew knits but also create button holes, embroider and do appliques. Sassy! Why, I’m willing to bet you could whip up this lovely red, white, and blue ensemble in no time.

Here’s another ad for Singer boasting about their One Touch Sewing feature.  This one features nine stretch stitches that are perfect for creating the slinky disco fashions of the era. This lovely confection was created using 100% woven polyester. Yummy!

This ad just cracks me up. Here’s a sample of the copy: “If you want to different these days you have a choice. #1, you can look ridiculous. #2, you can look like you came off an assembly line.” Wow. Not much to choose from. Thank goodness the people at Simplicity patterns believe you can choose what you want to wear, like this dress with completely open sides. Yep, the 70s were far from modest.

Finally, here’s another Simplicity ad I’ve included just because I love all the designs. I think this one sums up the fashions of the era quite nicely.

Next week I’ll take a look at my favorite ads from department stores. Sears, Montgomery Ward (monkey wards) and JC Penney were all favorites of the 70s.

One of my favorite things about 70s fashions is that designers weren’t afraid to take risks when it came to patterns and color. Bold was considered a neutral and plaids ruled. I remember my dad’s professional wardrobe being full of double-knit polyester plaid sports coats, ties and trousers. This was not a decade to be a wallflower.

Let’s start with this green confection. Here we have a plaid coat paired with plaid pants. Pretty bold on its own, but it needs a little punch. I know! Let’s add a bright yellow shirt, green vest and bold red tie. Done! What a handsome looking man, and not a single natural fiber on him.

Sexy. Now let’s explore something a little more bold because, after all, this suit is really a tad muted. What about something with some high contrast? Black and white should do the trick. Not a fan? Take a cue from the handsome fellow on the left who prefers a red/yellow/navy/white jacket. These suits are all wool so you know they’ll last for years. A terrific wardrobe investment!

Sassy. When I worked in television we used to have a tip sheet on what not to wear on air. Plaids and busy patterns were at the top of the list as they became “hot” on camera. Tell that to Johnny Carson. The king of late night television wasn’t about to sacrifice style just for the sake of tv. He was so passionate about his fashions that he had his own line of apparel.

Stylin’. Not only is he proud to wear his loud plaid sports coat, he takes it up a notch with a patterned tie. No wonder America loved him. Tune in next week as I look at the world of DIY, sewing styles of the 70s.

It’s rare Steve and I visit a new local restaurant, at least not during the first few months while they work out their kinks, but lately we’ve been venturing out into the world of new eats. First it was the south side location of Houlihan’s, which was good despite a few communication problems. This past Friday it was Savor, an upscale restaurant located on Commercial Street.

Savor has been in the news over the past few months as the owners have spent a lot of money completely restoring the space in a Victorian motif (not my favorite but it works here), and they will be on a reality show this fall. The result is a warm, glowing atmosphere that feels spacious and cozy at the same time. Each table has a train ticket that the server punches to commemorate the Frisco railroad line so you feel like you’re in the dining car of a very chic train. The restaurant will even be featured this fall on the Food Network program, The Opener.

Steve and I arrived before our friends and were seated in a spacious, private booth with a view of the street corner. We immediately felt like we had traveled to the big city. It was so nice! We ordered a couple of glasses of wine and were amazed that prices start at $5.50 per glass or $18 per bottle. Very reasonable for such a place. And it was good! We enjoyed a Parducci Sustainable Red which was soft and paired well with our Peppercorn Cheddar chips with homemade pimento spread. I hate pimento spread, but enthusiastically enjoyed every bite. The Peppercorn Cheddar chips were like cheese shortbread crackers – tender and delicious.

At this point, the rest of our party arrived and were also enjoying the chips. We made it clear we wanted a relaxed, slow meal and our waitress was great at not rushing us and allowing us to order the next course after we’d finished the current one. I ordered a simple arugula salad with blue cheese, bacon and a black cherry vinaigrette, Steve ordered the French onion soup, Duane ordered the mushroom puffs and Prudy ordered the lobster bisque. Everything was fresh and outstanding. Duane declared the mushroom puffs his favorite while I was pleasantly surprised the lobster bisque was so good. Most bisques are too creamy for my taste, but this one was a darker red and had large chunks of lobster. Steve’s French onion soup was rich and cheesy and the crouton on top stayed crunchy the whole time. Yum! I don’t normally like fruit vinaigrettes, but this one complimented the saltiness of the bacon and zing of the cheese. Very nice.

With all that food, we decided to split our entree. All of their beef is organic, grass-fed beef from a local farm. I’ll admit the menu is a bit beef-heavy, but they do have chicken and pasta options and are planning to expand the menu as they grow. Steve and I split the 8 oz. filet with a black cherry reduction and blue cheese crumbles. On the side we had the blue cheese mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese (a house made specialty). The filet was outstanding! It was cooked to perfection and the 4 oz size was perfect. The slight sweetness of the black cherries complimented the tanginess of the blue cheese. The mashed potatoes were great but the mac and cheese was just ok. Steve and I both felt the sauce was a bit grainy as if it had been cooked too quickly. Duane and Prudy split the ribeye and it was good, but I thought our filet was the best choice.

Of course we left room for dessert. The best part of their desserts is that the portion size is very small and a perfect way to end a meal. I got the triple cream cake, which was not what I expected. It was a slightly sweet cake that had been soaked in a cream resulting in a dessert that was a little wet. What I did like was that it wasn’t too sweet. The homemade butter brickle ice cream that accompanied it was outstanding. Steve got a rich chocolate cake made with Askinosie chocolate, a Commercial Street chocolate factory, and it was paired with another homemade ice cream in chocolate. It was a very small piece, but one bite told me it was just enough as it was very, very rich. Prudy got the bread pudding and it was fantastic, but she was disappointed it wasn’t served warm as it had been when she was there earlier. Duane won the dessert prize with the creme brulee. It was fantastic! Rich, but not too sweet, we all declared it the best of the lot.

I can only hope Savor maintains its commitment to great food. While the cost of our meal wasn’t cheap, it certainly was reasonable with all we ordered. We’ll be back.

It’s no advertising secret that sex sells, and the 70s were all about the love, baby. Before the AIDS epidemic of the 80s made sex dangerous, the 70s celebrated it and more was better. Advertising not only hinted at it, but embraced nudity as seen in the following ads. I’ll start with the cover of the book. I’m sure it’s an advertisement for an underwear company, but I have no idea who it is and I don’t care. The female hand resting on the inner thigh of the male is hilarious. And check out how hairy the dude is!

I love it! Then, I open the book and this is one of the first ads I see. The ad is for Male jeans and is targeted to males (of course, why else is the model topless), but I don’t begin to understand the sad copy. “I walk down the street without joy. A hapless place where freedom rings. I see them look at me. I wear the gladness of the nation. But they don’t understand. They rip to tears the colors of my time. But I’m so proud that it’s a part of me. Male. It fits the time and my mind. To ease my sorrow for those who bust the wave of freedom.”

I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t make me want to run out and buy a pair of red, white and blue jeans. Matter of fact, I can’t figure out who would. I’m sure this was printed to protest the war, but, man, it’s depressing! One thing I did notice is that the model is, ahem, very natural. No silicone implants here.

Moving on. Let’s try to make socks sexy. Hmm, what can we do with socks? You don’t see much of them but we all need them. I know! Let’s put a bunch of men in socks and nothing else! Oooo! And let’s make sure they’re diverse – age, race, etc. – and we have some stylin’ shades on them. Ok, now let’s pose them so the socks are the main focus and we don’t see any naughty bits. Yeah, I like it!

It certainly makes me want to go out and buy socks. Now, let’s take a look at the classic polo shirt. It wasn’t the 80s yet and the Ralph Lauren Polo wave hadn’t crested, but a polo-style shirt was still worn (by Squares, man). The Robe di Kappa Company obviously wanted to get in on the sexy advertising action by sexing up the lowly polo shirt.

I don’t know what bugs me more in this picture, the model’s butt or her hair. I’m going with the hair. John Frieda had not launched his Frizz Ease line but this woman is a prime candidate. Makes me think of Barbra Streisand in A Star Is Born. Ick.

The sad part about all this sexiness is that the women don’t get to see  as much of the men as they do of the women. Equal rights, man! Join me next Friday for another look at 70s advertising. I think next week’s theme will focus of DIY of the 70s.

What a week! I spent five days in St. Louis, and am just now getting organized at home. Steve and I left last Wednesday morning at 6:30 a.m. so he could attend a two-day training seminar and I could shop. Then on Friday, we set up for the Best of Missouri Market show at the MO Botanical Gardens which was Saturday and Sunday. I loved having some extra time to play in the big city, but I’m really glad to be home.

A lot happened while I was in St. Louis, more than I can write about, so I figured I’d condense it to a few of the highlights. I got my Gap shopping out of my system by shopping at, not one, but two Gap stores. Luckily, they had an additional 25% off all sale merchandise so I scored some $7 t-shirts and a $15 pair of pants. Cool! I also visited my favorite STL antique store, TFA Antiques, where I ooo’d and ahhh’d over all the cool pieces from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Alas, I didn’t make any purchases but that’s just an excuse to return.

Friday night at Sally’s was a blast! For some strange reason, her kitchen table seems to create a party whenever a group is gathered and Friday night was no exception. Never mind that Steve and I had to get up at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, we still managed to have a few drinks, enjoy some stuffed burgers and a lot of cheese, and laugh until our sides hurt. It’s so wonderful to reconnect with my godmother. No wonder my mom has been close friends with her since grade school, she’s a riot!

Spending time with Suzanne was also great. We loved seeing her new house and hanging out with her and Herman. It was also good to see our second favorite Siamese cat, Nigel, who’s recovering from a terrible illness. He’s back to his old self and looking wonderful. Suz was a great help at the booth by bringing us lunch, talking up my wares, taking me out in the afternoon and “forcing” me to drink beer, and helping us tear down. Thanks again!

The show was good, but sales were down. Fortunately, we had terrific weather and the Missouri Botanical Gardens were lovely. They had moved the food vendors to a new area so I was able to see more of the gardens than I had in the past. I’d like to return in the spring when the gardens are blooming and really tour the grounds. What a great place.

As for the shoes part of my title, all I can say is that I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t purchase a pair of shoes on a trip. This time I bought a pair of high-top Converse sneakers printed with a DC Comics 75th Anniversary tribute to Superman. Of course, I never read comics as a child, but these are really cool and I love them. And I love Nordstrom. They had just marked down a pair of boots I’d been looking at for a couple of months so, naturally, I had to purchase them. Since the car was getting full, they offered to ship them to me for free. I love Nordstrom. Have I said that? Well, it bears repeating. Even Steve got in on the shoe shopping and found a pair of brown boots he’d been wanting for a couple of years.

It was all fun, but work is calling so I need to go. I promise another edition of my 70s catalog this Friday so stay tuned!

The other night, Steve and I were browsing through the bargain book section at Barnes and Noble when Steve came across a book on 70s fashion. I figured it was worth $4 for the comic value alone. Thus begins my Friday salute to the 70s. Join me as I share my favorite ads and designs from the 70s. Naturally, I’ll begin at the bottom with shoes.

It’s no secret I love shoes and I’ve loved them all my life. As a child, I eagerly anticipated back to school shoe shopping, and my only disappointment was being allowed one pair of shoes. When I was in seventh grade my back to school shoe of choice was a clog. It was whiskey-colored leather and I believe we bought it at Kinney shoes in the mall. I can’t imagine how uncomfortable it was, as I remember it had no padding, but I wore it daily. The worst part of wearing clogs (and Dr. Scholl’s sandals) was accidentally kicking myself in the ankle with the wooden sole. Ouch! But clogs weren’t just worn by women, Here’s an example of a studly dude sporting his clogs:

He is working it! Dig the shirt unbuttoned to the waist. Ok, this might not technically be a clog, but it’s the closest I found and it’s funny. Of course, you can’t think of the 70s without thinking of boots, and I love my boots. The most memorable pair I had was in the early 70s when I had not one, but two pair of go-go boots. One was white patent and the other was khaki patent. Oh yeah, I was stylin’. I never had a pair of these suede beauties, but I do remember the Thom McAn shoe store well.

I’ll take one in each color and I’d like some of that wallpaper too. Nothing like hot pants and tall boots! Of course, Kinney had boots too and I love the lace-up ones in this picture.

What’s funny is that these don’t look horribly outdated any more. I remember my mom had a pair of Frye boots similar to the top boot in this photo. Actually, it was the Frye Campus boot and it’s still made. I wish she still had hers.

Join me next week as I celebrate sex and the 70s. Advertising was quite risque back then!

A friend sent this to me recently, and it made me laugh so I thought I’d share. Hope your Sunday is full of joy, peace and laughter!

1. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font. Seriously, why hasn’t this been invented?!

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.

13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.

17. I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

24. The first testicular guard, the “Cup,” was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974.That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.  Ladies…Quit Laughing!

Those of you who read my blog or follow me on Facebook are probably sick of me constantly talking about boots and shoes. If you’re one of those people, don’t bother reading this post because it’s all about boots. One boot, in particular.

Meeting Donald and Lisa Pliner at the Las Vegas shoe market was the closest I’ve come to meeting a celebrity. Well, I waited on Richard Marx in the 80s when I worked at Musicland but we didn’t actually have a conversation. Besides, I wasn’t then and I’m not now a Richard Marx fan. But I digress. Donald and Lisa aren’t exactly celebrities, I’d call them shoe-lebrities and in my book that’s even better. I’ve loved Donald’s work for years and have many styles in my closet, despite not wearing them to the show! I wasn’t very familiar with Lisa’s designs until Vegas, but I am now a devoted fan. I love her rock ‘n roll style. Donald gets my vote when it comes to cowboy boots and Lisa appeals to the rocker chick inside me.

When we met, Lisa was wearing a boot of hers that I adored. The sample was a size 6 but she graciously offered to let us try on the one she was wearing. Alas, she is not a 9.5, but a 7.5. My extra-large foot wouldn’t fit so Kathi tried them on. They were so cool! Caught up in the moment, Kathi placed an order for the store in a case pack that included my size and promised me the 9.5 when it arrived. The boots arrived on Wednesday and I immediately grabbed the 9.5 and put it on. Heaven. The leather is very soft, the platform is high enough to make the heel comfortable, and the footbed is padded. True to her word, Kathi allowed me to purchase my size that day.

When I got home, I immediately started playing with the boot. I laced it up all the way and wore it with some rolled-up jeans. Cool, but the studs were hidden. Then I unlaced it halfway and let the studded tongue hang out. I liked it, but it kept catching on the cuff of my jeans. Finally, I folded the top down and wore them as an ankle boot. Score! Steve and I went out to dinner and the boots were such a hit, the women at the next table asked to see them and wanted to know where they could get them. I have a feeling that even though the toe is open, I’ll be wearing these a lot this fall/winter.

Of course, I have my eye on a couple of other LP styles including these fabulous thigh-high boots. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait until they go on sale!

Or this one:

And just to be fair, here’s one of my favorite Donald J Pliner styles for the season:

Mmmm, python. I’m either going to need to increase my hours at work or get another job!

Today I had the opportunity to return to my childhood home and relive some great memories. We moved to 840 S. Weller in the summer of 1976 when I was 10 years old. I remember the move well as it was a hot summer and I had chosen the bedroom facing West. With no central air, I relied heavily on my box fan to keep me cool. We lived in that house 11 years, longer than any home during my childhood, so I think of it as my “childhood home.”

From the outside, the house looks about the same. The three windows over the porch were my bedroom windows (more on the changes there later) and provided me with a great view of the neighbor’s house, home of my first serious boyfriend. When we lived there, the porch was red and my mom stripped the paint off the front door and stained it. The roof was grey.

The most noticeable thing when I walked in the front door was the lack of gold shag carpeting. We always knew there were hardwood floors underneath, but we never got around to ripping out the carpet and refinishing them, even though my dad owned all the equipment to do that. The living room spans the front of the house and has a fireplace on the left side and a living area on the right which is where we always put the Christmas tree. Sadly, the brick on the fireplace has been painted white and someone removed the doors to the book shelves. And don’t get me started on that viney crap over the mantle.

Still, the living room, with it’s deep wood floors, looked fresh and clean (and smaller than I remember). Here’s a pic of the other side. My upright piano used to be against the wall and we’d put the Christmas tree in the window where this baby grand piano is now.

I know we had curtains there (gold, I think) because we always ended up tying the Christmas tree to the curtain rod so it would stand straight. It might not have been pretty but it worked. All I cared about as a kid was what was under the tree, not how straight it was.

The dining room and den were uneventful. Both rooms were painted neutral colors and looked about the same. The kitchen has changed somewhat, but I was surprised to see the same cabinets and hardware we had when we lived there. The only difference was they had been painted. The kitchen floor was carpeted – a very chic thing to do in the 70s – but that was fortunately gone. I’m not sure I love the tile, but it isn’t horrible. The other thing that had changed was the removal of the back porch to extend the kitchen. It made the room larger and more inviting.

You can’t see it in the picture, but the cork tile my mom installed to the left of the stove is still on the wall. Crack me up! On to the guest bath. This bathroom was the only bathroom in the house when we lived there. It only had a tub, no shower, and it was also carpeted. The tub remains but shower hardware has been installed. The cabinet and sink were removed and replaced with a pedestal sink. I don’t agree with the wallpaper, but I’m not a wallpaper person to begin with. I once had to climb into that window when we got locked out of the house. It’s smaller than it looks.

Let’s go upstairs to the rooms where my sister and I lived. The stairway carpet has been replaced by wood and tile but the landings are still there. Some of you may remember bunking parties where we’d climb up onto the landing with our sleeping bags and pillows and spend the night. The iron railing has been removed, but it looks about the same.

At the top of the stairs used to be a door leading into the attic, but it has been walled over. You used to walk into a large room (we called it the playroom) and our bedrooms were off of that room. Mine facing West and Ralph’s facing North. Now, it’s one large rectangular room. What used to be the playroom closet door is now a door leading into a huge cedar closet. And my room? Well, my room is the cedar closet.

It is the most ridiculous closet I’ve ever seen. I’m sure I’m saying that just because it used to be my bedroom and I can’t believe it’s now a closet, but it is a bit much. I’m thinking somewhere along the way, an owner figured if they were going to turn the attic into a master bath they’d need to make space somewhere. But I have the last laugh. A unicorn sticker I placed on the window sometime in the 70s is still there!

Bwahahah! You can’t get rid of me that easily! Although I have to say that turning my bedroom into a place that holds clothing and shoes is actually fitting considering the size of my own wardrobe! Here’s a look at the master bath which used to be the attic:

Boring, boring, boring. Actually all the updates are boring. Mom commented that the personality was lacking in the house and I agree. While I’m not opposed to improvements (central air being one of the good ones) I do think the house lacks life and vivaciousness. Maybe that’s what the new owner will add.

The last place we toured was the basement. Gone was the huge mid-century furnace that took up most of the space, but I will say not much has been done. Actually, the basement is pretty scary. I’d say a good coat of light-colored paint and some furniture would do it a world of good.

The only reason I hated the basement as a kid is because the dogs would poop on the floor and I always had to go down there to do laundry, a hated chore.

So while it was fun to go back home, I’m glad I live where I do now. At one time I thought I’d want to buy 840 and live there, but I’m content with the memories I have of my childhood and all the fun we had in that house. I hope the next person who owns it enjoys it as much as I did. And I hope they never remove the unicorn sticker on the window.