Musings of a Girl Incognito

Back after a long time...

2011-04-20T16:01:00.000-05:00

I've been really busy lately. Working at my full time job. Working on my business. Working on being a Mom. But, in reality, life is a journey - embrace it! I'm going to try and update my blogs and websites and try to be on the ball. Once I let things go they never get done.

More later...I promise!

Tick Tock...I love clocks!

2010-08-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

I love clocks. I guess it's because we are, quite frankly, on borrowed time. Time is precious. Time is valuable. So I have a lot of clocks through my home.

This is one of my favorite clocks. A Waterford Crystal Clock that I recieved as a wedding present so many years ago.

This is another really cool clock that I have. It's on the landing on my staircase upstairs. It's double sided.

Yes, even if I'm nutty for Alice in Wonderland...I have a tin clock with Humpty Dumpty on it with the Tenniel drawings all over it. I found this clock in Covent Garden in London, England back in 1995.

This clock I found at one of my favorite stores, Kirkland's. It's kind of "gothic."

Another Kirkland Clock...This one is in my upstairs bathroom.

I love Roosters, and I have a collection going in my kitchen. So, naturally, I have a few rooster clocks.

My Living Room...

How could I not have hour glasses?!

Love this hanging clock!!!

Back to the Blog...

2010-08-10T16:02:00.000-05:00

After taken a break from this blog...I'm back...new and improved!!! I'm starting a business that will be fully operational by the first of the New Year!!! So look for that!!! I'm working on my website, which will have a different URL after the first of the year...right now I'm playing around with it...seeing what works and what doesn't. I'm also getting involved with the community here in Des Moines and volunteering my services for next years' 80/35 Music Fest. I'm also taking advantage of free business development courses taught by ISU. Lots of things I can do between now and the new year!!! Excited!!!!

So things are looking up for me and hopefully, my business will grow!

On a personal note...I'm spending more time with my daughter. She is just a special kid!!!! She makes my gray skies turn blue. Heck, she's such a little love bug!!! I really don't like to talk about other aspects of my personal life as well, since this is a public forum...unless I'm close to the person, I won't volunteer that information. So I keep that part off limits. People wonder why I don't talk about some things and quite frankly, it's none of their business. Why should I sugar coat things?!

Folk Art...Dolls

2010-05-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

I have a thing for Folk Art...rustic, interesting stuff. My mom bought me a pair of rag dolls with no faces on them for Christmas one year...as the Amish. I've always wanted these kinds of dolls. They are just so unique and interesting. I guess the reason why I like them so much is that you can let your imagination create whatever kind of face you would like your doll to be. It is said that the reason for the faceless dolls was because of religious reason...the Bible says that you are not supposed to make anything that is in the image or likeness of a human...or another explanation is, the dolls are not being made as graven images (the making of which was strictly forbidden according to the Book of Deuteronomy). I found another lady that shares the same love I have for these dolls. You can read her blog: Tips from the Blogging Queen and why she just loves these types of dolls here.

These dolls are on top of my cupboards in the kichen...since it's done up in a kind of folk-country style. I also collect roosters, so I have many chicken inspired stuff around.

My Amish girl doll.

My Amish boy doll.

A few years ago at the Des Moines Farmer's Market I came across a booth filled with beautiful and exquisite folk dolls. I got to talking to the lady that made them. June Wildash is such an artist with her dolls. I have two in my collection and they are high up so my three year old daughter can't play with them. I just love them to pieces! Here are some pictures of Sally and Lacie.

Lacie on the left and Sally on the right sit on top of books in my bedroom, high on a bookshelf so little hands cannot get to them.

Little Lacie is a sweetheart of a doll. She has a little angel brooch on her dress.

Sally...the bigger doll and Lacie's big sister. Just as lovely as Lacie.

June Wildash has a website devoted to her dolls and you can order them here.

They are well made and very lovely to look at in person.

I love dolls. Always have, and always will. I can see that joy on my baby's face when she plays with her own. Her favorite dolls are ones that are made by Pottery Barn Kids. She has Chloe, Sophie and Joy (or Clo Clo, So So and Jo Jo as she calls them) She loves them all, and calls them her "sisters." LOL!!! The Jennerbug has been brushing their yarn hair...and I keep telling her that these dolls are not like Barbie's where her hair can be combed. Bugs the heck out of me...and I think that's why she does this. Anyway...Here is a photo of Jennerbug and her "sisters" (l to r) Joy, Chloe and Sophie, all barefooted!!! Jens is holding on to her Princess rag doll that she got from the Blank Park Zoo a few years back.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2010-05-09T12:39:00.000-05:00

Look what my baby made me in Preschool...

A Butterfly Clip

Mother dear, I love you, and I know you love me too.I am very glad to celebrate this holiday with you! I thank you for the things you do, and I just want to say, "I hope you have a super special, happy Mother's Day!"

Musings about Amusement Parks...

2010-05-09T00:04:00.000-05:00

Jennerbug and her friend Aurora go cruising on a lady bug...

Today I went to Adventureland, along with my Jennerbug and our friends Melissa and Aurora. We had a blast!!!! It's been a few years since I've been at the Park...and I live only 5 mins away. But, having Jens really didn't allow me to go there until now. And being almost 4, she handled all the rides beautifully!!! I was holding on tight to her on the sky ride. The seats are not the most stable for a little girl like her. She could of fell through and then...yep...don't want to think about that. Anyways, she was having a lot of fun.

We went into the gift shop to look for a little something to remember her first day there and she chose a purse with a dog's head on it and the words had the words Adventureland printed on it. The funny thing is that the cashier didn't know they had that purse in the store. LOL!

Amusement parks are something I'm very familiar with. I was born in a hospital down the street from Disneyland in Anaheim, CA...a hospital that is no longer there. It's an apartment complex. I loved going to Disneyland. It was a treat. And every time we drove pass the park...doing errands or other things...I would always ask if we are going there.

Loved Disneyland...the way the place had this peculiar, musty scent in the Haunted Mansion and Pirates. To the Alice in Wonderland ride...natch! The theming was wonderful!! Rich detail and care with every ride the Imagineers created. Love that place...magical! I just hope that Jens going to Adventureland will feel the same way when she gets to be my age. The wonderment...nistalgia...the fun!!!

And since I'm on a Amusements kick tonight...

This Haunting picture is of a Farris Wheel that was abandoned and overgrown at Chippewa Park in Ohio

I have never been to Chippewa Park in Ohio...but the above photo is really cool! Wikipedia has a whole list of defunct amusement parks you can read about here! Warning that entry...it will engross and fascinate!!!! So many parks that are now closed across the country! Ranging from Opryland to Busch Gardens.

The one that really captured my attention was an amusements called Enchanted Forest. A now-closed theme park in Ellicott City, Maryland. See some of the terrific, haunting photos of Enchanted Forest here! These whimsical buildings that children used to play in and imagine in are sadly, as you can see...going into disrepair. An effort is underway to restore a lot of this precious park. Here is a great website recounting people's fond memories of the Enchanted Forest and times gone by...and how people are trying to restore a lot of the attractions time forgot...

Going back to parks in California...I used to go to Marineland near LA when I was a kid. For one thing, it was much closer to my house than driving down to San Diego and going to Sea World. So when I was a teenager back in the late 1980's they closed that park down. And, much like the Enchanted Forest, it remained a shadow of its former self for many years...with weeds, graffitti...etc, littering the place. Finally a developer came in a leveled the place and now they are getting reading to build luxury homes in that area.

A beautiful shot of the old Marineland near LA over looking the Pacific Ocean.

Another park I had fond memories of was Santa's Village near Lake Arrowhead. I only been there a few times...but I really remember was the giant bees flying overhead that were monorails caring passengers! I had a lot of fun there. The place was just as whimsical as the Enchanted Forest.

A large Bee Monorail takes passengers across Santa's Village in Lake Arrowhead, CA

Movie Monday Featuring...

2010-05-03T21:47:00.001-05:00

Gulliver's Travels

Way back when Walt Disney had the only feature length motion picture cartoon, other animation studios wanted to jump on the bandwagon and come up with their own. Of course, Snow White proved to be quite a hit for Disney. So the Fleischer brothers, namely their studio made Gulliver's Travels, which became second animated feature film ever released, and the first produced by an American studio other than Walt Disney Productions.

Now the story written by Jonathan Swift back in the 18th century and full of political satire would go over children's heads if they were not well versed in the subject. This version was more kid friendly.

The plot has Gulliver washed up on an island and being found by the Town Crier Gabby. For all you trivia buffs...Gabby had his own series of spin off cartoons that Fleischer Studios produced. My daughter has a collection of old cartoons that my mother bought for her a year ago and I was surprised to see a cartoon about Gabby...not knowing how popular the character was after the Gulliver's cartoon came out. According to The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons by Jeff Lenburg, "Stories were shaped around Gabby's inability to do anything right."

The whole plot is centered around two kingdoms and the Kings (Little and Bombo, respectfully) of both of them. Their children, Princess Glory of Lilliput and Prince David of Blefuscu are do to be married. The two Kings cannot agree on which song to play at the ceremony; Little wants to play the song "Faithful" while Bombo wants "Forever." It takes the gentle giant Gulliver to smooth things over for the two kingdoms, and for the couple to become happily ever after...

You can download Gulliver's Travels for free since the copyright to the movie has lapsed and it is now in the public domain: http://www.archive.org/details/gullivers_travels1939

I remember watching this enchanting movie on the Family Film Festival on channel 5 in LA when I was a young one. The follow up, which I'll do for next week's Movie Monday was a flop for Fleischer Studios...but it's just as good and sweet as Gulliver is. Just as Disney before, the Fleischer's used Rotoscoping, an animation technique in which animators trace over live-action film movement, frame by frame to give Gulliver more human characteristics. However it was Max Fleischer who invented this design for Fleischer Studios first cartoon, "Out of the Ink well," and proved to be so successful, that the Disney Studios adopted this technique.

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Show Me Your Form!!!!

2010-04-28T09:26:00.000-05:00

OK...finally got all my mini dress forms together and displayed on my wall over my vanity. So enjoy the photos...

This is the form that started it all for me...I found this one at Target years ago and fell in love with dress forms right then and there. So lovely and feminine!!!

This pink number reminds me of the dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in the film "Gentleman Prefer Blonds" when she sang "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" I found it at Gordman's a few weeks ago...

My other "Marilyn" form...or the one I call"va va va voom"...it's stunning in person. I found this one at Hobby Lobby about a month ago and just thought it was the coolest...

I guess you can call these pretties "saloon" dresses or "can can" dresses. Which ever you prefer, they are very feminine and pretty. The one on the right looks almost like a wedding dress.

More of my form collection with a small trinket box in the center with a dress form on top...

More of the collection...with a mirror form and a form hanging from a hanger...

Another view...

It's this photo box just too cute?!

Movie Monday is BACK!!!! Featuring A Date with Judy

2010-04-26T20:57:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the long delay...it's been a very busy two weeks since my last Movie Monday entry...so here it goes...

Movie poster: A Date with Judy

I have to admit that I love old Hollywood films...they are some of the most fun to watch...and even some of the most heartbreaking. However, A Date with Judy is one of the more lighthearted ones I've ever watched. I think I caught the movie on either channel 5 or 9, they were independent stations in Los Angeles when I was a kid growing up in the 1980's out there. I was charmed by Jane Powell as Judy and how beautiful Elizabeth Taylor looked as they played high school rivals, with Judy being the girl next door.

A Date with Judy started out as a popular radio show that was aimed at a teenage audience. The studio executives at MGM wanted to bring it to film because of the growing popularity of the radio show, and showcasing the beauty of former child star Elizabeth Taylor in full Technicolor. Jane Powell was chosen to play Judy because of her strong soprano and given that MGM distributed the film is was only natural to put in music, featuring Carmen Miranda and Xavier Cugat during scenes at the high school prom.

Jane Powell sings her heart out as Judy

A teenage Elizabeth Taylor as Carol Pringle and Judy's rival

The plot of the film centers around a prom and former best friends, Judy (Powell) and Carol Pringle (Elizabeth Taylor) and their beaus. Judy's boyfriend Oogie Pringle decides not to take her to the dance and she by chance meets Stephen Andrews (Robert Stack), and who comes between Judy and Oogie.

Spring Cleaning Pulitzers and Musings

2010-04-13T07:54:00.001-05:00

Photo: Beautiful Mess...trying to organize my cds!!!!

Sorry that I've been absent of late!!! With work, the Jennerbug and other writing projects this blog has, sadly taken a back seat!!!!! I really prefer blogging via my laptop rather than on my Blackberry...that is when the laptop version downloads properly and I don't have to wait a million years.

Anyways, I closed my storage unit and got a bunch of stuff out, so I've been putting on the tunes, and whistling while I work organizing books, cds and nic nacks.

Doing so has me stressed out. I made a sizable dent on Sunday, but still have to put some things away. I really don't know where yet. I do want to go to Gordman's and see what they have in the way of hanging shelves, although my fave store Target does have hanging shelves, they really didn't catch my eye. Too boring or plain. I thought of displaying my miniature dress forms on the wall above my vanity would look nice. We'll see!!!

Movie Mondays will start up again next Monday...I have one already mapped out, and wanted to work on it last night, but my article for the Examiner was first priority. So I'm going to save "A Date with Judy" next week.

Also, my short story, "The Audition" will hopefully be done in time to be posted on my website Saturday. The character development is a bit flat, and that is something I need to work on. There is only so many hours in the day and it drives me batty that I cannot get things done in a timely fashion.

Congrats to the Des Moines Register for winning the Pulitzer for their photo taken by Mary Chind of waters overtaking a couple who's boat went over a dam and the rescue effort in progress made the Pulitzer committee take notice. This is the paper's 16th Pulitzer, and I know how every journalist and writer strives for this prestigious award! Best Fiction went to Iowa Writer's Workshop alum Paul Harding for his novel "Tinkers."

Movie Monday Featuring: Easter Parade

2010-03-29T22:07:00.000-05:00

That little gal with the big voice is back! This time on our Movie Monday she gets a little help with dancing from Fred Astaire and music composed by Irving Berlin. Easter Parade went on to be Judy Garland's highest grossing film of her career, and was the highest grossing musical of 1948.

Love triangles aplenty as Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) and his original dancing partner, and the girl he adores, Nadine Hale (Ann Miller) have a falling out. Nadine decides to strike out on her own, and is quickly replaced by Hannah Brown (Judy Garland) and the new team becomes a hit, after a few mistakes along the way. A man by the name of Jonathan Harrow III (Peter Lawford) throws a wrench in to the mix when he declares his attraction to Hannah and sings "A Fella with an Umbrella," trying to impress her. Hannah later admits to Jonny, that she is in love with Don, and that the mistakes she makes in rehearsals are so she can spend more time with him. In the one of most memorable performances of the film Astaire and Garland come out on stage as a pair of street urchins and sing "A Couple of Swells" to the audience's delight.

The show stopping number, "A Couple of Swells" is one of the most memorable scenes in Easter Parade

Don and Hannah's performances get the attention of Mr. Ziegfeld of the Ziegfeld Follies where they perform "Midnight Choo Choo," and where they meet up with Don's former dance partner, Nadine who is starring in the Follies. Nadine's signature dance performance is "The Girl on the Magazine Cover" featuring an elaborate staging where dancers appear as models on covers of magazines. Don breaks out and old song and dance number he used to do with Nadine, making Hannah jealous in the process. In the end, forgiveness wins out and Don and Hannah end up together, singing one of Berlin's most unforgettable songs, Easter Parade.

Astaire and Garland happily dance together

Sprung Springy or has Spring really Sprung????

2010-03-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

My cats seems to think so...

Furgus enjoys some open window time in a upstairs window

As does Purrdy

Movie Monday Featuring: The Harvey Girls...

2010-03-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

Music from the Harvey Girls - CD cover

In a long string of MGM musicals, director George Sidney brings together the old west, beautiful girls, comedy and drama that is the Harvey Girls.

On Broadway people were flocking to see a new musical called Oklahoma. MGM sensing a blockbuster and inspired by the book The Harvey Girls written by Samuel Hopkins Adams, MGM wanted a musical, like Oklahoma set in the dusty west. They came up with the Harvey Girls, starring one of the biggest movie icons of the 20th century - Judy Garland. Garland's character, Susan Bradley is a mail order bride. She sets off on a train en route to the man that she thought would be the one who would marry her, only to find out it was a joke all along. At one stop to a western town called Sandrock, she is intrigue by a bunch of ladies that were hired to be "Harvey Girls," which at the time where basically waitresses who worked at Fred Harvey's eating houses along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail road stops (among other stops). The song, "On The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe" by Johnny Mercer/Harry Warren is a show stopper in the film and became a musical standard right after. It won the Oscar for Best Song in 1947.

The prim and proper Harvey Girls - with Miss Garland's character Susan in front and center.

It should be noted that the real Fred Harvey started these chain restaurants because Mr. Harvey had strict standards for high quality food and first class service. It was when he was unhappy with the way the male service staff treated the customers that he invented the well mannered and educated ladies he would call "Harvey Girls." They had to wear prim and proper black dresses with white aprons, and their hair tied up in a white ribbon.

Besides the versatile Garland, is the ravishing Angela Lansbury as Em. Garland's rival for the local tough guy Ned Trent's heart played by John Hodiak. Lansbury, who was 19 years old at the time of the making of Harvey Girls plays Em with sass and vigor. While Trent's tough guy exterior softens when he gets to know Garland's character. Garland re-teams with her Wizard of Oz co-star, Ray Bolger, who brings comic timing and his trademark rubbery dancing to play the town blacksmith. The rest of the cast are Marjorie Main, Virginia O'Brien and Cyd Charisse as the Harvey Girls that befriend Garland's character.

Sassy, beautiful and knows what she wants, Miss Lansbury plays Em with confidence.

Next weeks Movie Monday will be another Judy Garland movie, Easter Parade costarring Garland and Fred Astaire.

All things Beautiful, Shiny and other Musings...

2010-03-21T02:07:00.000-05:00

I must be a writing fool tonight! First off, I just finished another article for my Examiner page that you can read here. The funny thing is whenever I check out my Examiner page, it defaults to either Toronto or New York!!!!!???? Huh???? (I guess they are getting "broken clouds in New York...that sounds like an awesome name for a band!) I'm still working on my first short story that you can read here. I'll let you know once it's been posted! And I'm really excited to post it up!

I love jewlery...I have a lot of costume pieces...nothing worth too much money mind you. Just something I buy from Target or other stores that catches my eye.

This little scene stealer is from New York...George Modell Jewelers, to be precise. I got it from my mother in law when I got married. I wear it on occasion. It's truly beautiful up close. I had to Google this company since I've never heard of them before I received the necklace. I was curious if this shop was still in exsistance...so when I Googled it it came up with nothing. There still a jeweler at that same address...the Gold Nugget, but nothing about Mr. Modell. Ah, well...anyways, here is a photo I took with my camera phone...I know it came out sorta cruddy!!! It's silver color with light yellow stones, and tiny pearls on the leaves.

Necklace by George Modell Jewelers

I love Target and finding jewelry there is always fun...lately, it seems they gone the designer route...which I have. I had several pieces of Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig's "Swell" collection that has since been discontinued...(I think their contract with Target was over!), but they had some pretty cute pieces. Now, Anna Sheffield's whimsical collection has hit Target and when they got discounted, I picked up two pieces of earrings and a necklace. The necklace was originally retailing for about $40 and I got it 70% off!!!! I love her designs because they are so detailed!!!!

"Bird" earrings - Anna Sheffield

"Cuckoo Clock" Earrings by Anna Sheffield

A coworker of mine wants to "steal" these from my because they are too cute!

Necklace by Anna Sheffield

Here is another necklace I recently found at Target...it's fun to wear...very sparkles and colorful! It looks like a giant flower!

My colorful flower necklace!

My last piece that I adore is one I found years ago at Osco drugstore...yep!!!!!! It's a miniature of the painting The Two Sisters aka On the Terrace by one of my favorite painters, Renoir. The original can be seen at the Art Institute of Chicago.

My necklace with Renoir's The Two Sisters aka On the Terrace

The painting of The Two Sisters aka On the Terrace by Renoir

I think the reason why I love this necklace and the painting as well. It's just beautiful!!! The vibrant colors, the lady and the little girl...it's just a really sweet painting. I adore Impressionism! Monet, Degas (I love how Degas painted ballet dancers!), etc!!!!!

Monday is movie day! So I have some surprises in store!!! Watch this space!!!!!!

Movie Monday featuring The Kid

2010-03-15T21:29:00.000-05:00

"A picture with a smile, and perhaps a tear..."

The Kid, a sentimental film written, produced, directed and starred Charlie Chaplin remains one of the most hopeful, yet heartbreaking films of all time.

One could say that this film is just as stark and ironic as last week's Movie Monday entry, Bellissima. In both films you have parents (well, one who takes in a child as their own and the other biological) who love their kids and yet, they are poverty stricken. That's were the similarities end, the plot of The Kid begins when Charlie's character - the iconic "Little Tramp" finding a baby in an alley. He takes the little tyke in and begins to raise him as his own son and naming him John.

Filmed at Olvera Street in Los Angeles, Chaplin chose this area to recreate the London he once knew. Here Chaplin and Coogan stare hopelessly at their plight.

Reminiscent of Dickens and even Chaplin's own upbringing: the set is dark and dreary. Olvera Street in Los Angeles was used to recreate a gloomy London. Soon, the Little Tramp grooms the Kid (Jackie Coogan...later known in the 1960's as Uncle Fester in the Addams Family) to pick pocket and be his partner in crime. It's only when social workers catch wind of their antics the Kid is taken away from the Little Tramp leading to an emotional and heart tugging reunion.

The Little Tramp is reunited with the Kid

Jackie Coogan in his "Pageboy" haircut that was the style at the time.

Undated photo

Jackie Coogan became the first "Child Star" in films, as he would go on to receive millions from acting and endorsements. In his twenties he would sue his mother and step-father for squandering his money on luxury items. A court battle ensued and California enacted the California Child Actor's Bill, also known as the "Coogan Bill." The law requires the child's employer to set aside a portion of the child's earnings in a trust savings account.

Also of note is Lita Grey who played the Angel of Temptation on the film became Charlie Chaplin's second wife and mother of his two sons. Who themselves would become actors.

The Kid is available on DVD
A Blueray edition is set to be released on May 10th through The Criterion Collection.

Being Creative: Fixing a broken plate by using ribbon...and other musings...

2010-03-14T18:15:00.000-05:00

In my downstairs bathroom I have some items featuring Lighthouses...now, one of the things I love is lighthouses. I think they are rather cool. My mother in law bought me a book about Scottish Lighthouses after she noticed that I had a lot of lighthouse things in the bathroom. Well, to make a long story short...I had a cute little decorative plate with a lighthouse painted on it. I moved it on to a shelf in the bathroom to make room for my Christmas bath stuff...and a few weeks later...oops!!!!

Needless to say, I was a bit upset! I fixed part of it and saw that I could not find the other broken pieces...so it sat on the shelf...broken for a few months. I got the idea to look at ribbon at Hobby Lobby and see if I could do anything to make it look nice. So looking at a bunch of ribbon...hoping to find something with a nautical theme to it...I found a monochromatic blue ribbon...which after not having any luck finding something with a nautical theme, I went with this one.

I found a heavy duty paper clip to hold the starting point and "bunched" the ribbon around the plate so it would make it's way around it. I used Super glue to bond to the plate...it took me about an hour to do...and the Jennerbug got antsy during that time. I thought that I could always stop and come back to it...but I didn't quit...even when my daughter was wanting me to change the channel on the tv.

And VOILÀ!!!!!!! The finished project! As you can see it's back to where I've had it forever...on my sink in the bathroom. I thought it turned out nice and it's better to have it looking decent, covering up that ugly chip along it's edge!!!!

Other Musings:

Tomorrow is Movie Monday!!!!! Featuring the Little Tramp...aka...Charlie Chaplin in the Kid with a very young Uncle Fester...I mean, Jackie Coogan.

Also of note: on my website I hope to have short stories posted every Saturday you can read it here...so be on the look out for that and don't forget my writings on the Examiner.com!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm finally a "Freelancer," writing, Consuelo Vanderbilt, and other Musings...

2010-03-12T23:42:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm finally a "paid" writer for the website Examiner.com!!! My sole focus is writing about entertainment for families in and around the Des Moines area. So far I wrote two very short articles. One is about the Harlem Globetrotters coming to perform their basketball tricks at Wells Fargo Arena, the other about the Adventureland Fire and how the park will be opening on time. Oh, and I have been working on my third novel...yes, I have another idea I'm working on right now...so I need to put my scribbles on to my "Writeway" writing softwear. I need to get my butt in gear about that!!!! This story just "jells" with me...it's coming out naturally, where my other stories felt "forced." This time I'm writing an historical fiction novel about Consuelo Vanderbilt and her best friend...a character I made up. I've been reading and researching Consuelo and her mother Alva recently...and I've had this story on my mind for sometime...so I'm finally putting pen to paper. The other stories, or my "rock and roll" stories I will pick up at another time.

Charles, 9th Duke of Marlborough, with Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough, and their sons John, the 10th Duke of Marlborough, and Lord Ivor Spencer-Churchill, painted by John Singer Sargent in 1905

I'm obsessed with the time in History called, the "Gilded Age" a term that was coined by one of my favorite authors, Mark Twain. Twain and Charles Dudley Warner came up with the term for the title of their book, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today.

It was a time of opulent houses (the Vanderbilts were notorious with trying to "out do" even each other - The Breakers anyone?!!!!!!) and how the Robber Barons basically owned America. After watching stories about the houses that were built for these wealthy Americans on the A&E program America's Castles I was hooked!!! I wanted to know more about them...esphially the wives and children. How they either were married or born into such wealth and how they handled it. Consuelo, I feel is the best example of this. She was a beauty...someone who exude wealth, beauty and high profile that we now call celebrity. Her wedding to the Duke of Marlborough caused quite the sensation. It was all because of her wealth and being pushed to marry well by her mother, Alva. Another reason why I'm so interested in this time in our American History was it was an era of yellow journalism as well as sensationalism in the press...something I have a studied to get my degree in journalism.

Marilyn Monroe once said...

2010-03-10T23:13:00.000-06:00

she slept with only Chanel #5 on!!!!!!

I have to admit that I'm gaga (OK not the right word!!!!) for Chanel #5!!!! It's my scent! I have many bottles of the perfume as well as lotion and I even got the oil last Christmas!!!! There is something about the smokey, yet floral scent...I like to wear it every fall/winter because it has a warmer smell. Although, on Wikipedia the scent is a "slightly metallic-waxy-smoky scent with aldehyde complex reminiscent of waxy rose pedals!!!"

Here are some photos of my Chanel #5 bottles:

As you can see, I use a lot of Chanel!!!!!

My favorite little Chanel #5 Bottle that a friend gave to me! I'll never use this perfume as it looks so cute in the bottle!!!!

The Chanel #5 oil that I received as a Christmas gift...I also was given a bottle to put the oil in but I love the Chanel bottle!!!!

Here is the bottle for the Chanel #5 oil...it's a beauty!!!! I really love this bottle, but as of today, it's empty. It was made in India and very delicate! It reminds me of a Genie's Bottle!!!!! Rub and it will grant you a wish!!!

Movie Monday: Bellissima

2010-03-08T21:58:00.001-06:00

This weeks movie choice to Kick Off Beautiful Week is the movie with the title Bellissima or Italian for Very Beautiful.

Bellissima, directed by Luchno Visconti, is part of the Italian Neo- Realism genre. Italian Neo-Realism
is a style of film characterized by stories set among the poor and working class, struggling to survive during and after World War II. Other films in this genre include: "Rome Open City," "Umberto D," and the "Bicycle Thief."

In this satirical movie, (Based on a story by famed Italian scenarist, and frequent Fellini collaborator Cesar Zavattini) there is an emotional struggle between a stage mother, Maggelena (Anna Magnani) who spends what little money the family has on hair dressers, dance instructors and acting teachers for her tiny daughter Maria (Tina Apicella). Maggelena's ultimate goal for the child of little talent is to be crowned the "Prettiest Girl in Rome."

The patient Husband awaits, hoping one day Maggelena will see the light and get her dreams of vicarious stardom out of her system.

Maria knows her limitations. The girl has a screen test that ends in disaster. and the producers tell the mother that this child has zero talent. Maggelena has a fit at tells the producers off. After the girl's abortive screen test the producers eventually find work for the girl. But it's a little too late...Maggelena renounces show business and leaves showbiz, with daughter in tow, for good.

It seems that the mother, wonderfully acted by Magnani, wants her child to be a star...was it her dream to become Prettiest Girl in Rome when she was a child, and nothing became of it? Or does she see stardom a way to get out of poverty?

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Sunday Dress Forms and Other Musings!!!

2010-03-07T13:09:00.001-06:00

(Photos: My two cats Furgus and Purrdy resting on my lap; The Jennerbug "dancing" with Furgus; the Jennerbugs' dress form)...

Ahhhh another lazy Sunday...the cats love to sleep in a warm lap while I sit here playing around on my Blackberry, and the Jennerbug watches cartoons.

I found another fun and creative blog while I was searching for collectible vintage dress forms (which I'm starting to collect and I think deserves a thread of it's own in the near future!!!)...you can find Cathe's blog at http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/

Cathe took a life size form she found in the trash and decoupaged it with paper from an old book!!! It's stunning!

I really love dress forms...I guess because they are interesting and artistic looking, and well feminine...and I think the miniature versions are really neat that they have now...in a few weeks I'm going back to Hobby Lobby to buy two that I really love! One is pink satin with black lace and the other is a wedding gown. They are very pretty and feminine. With lots of ruffles and satin...of course they are just mini versions!! I have one mini form that I found at Target a few years back...it's a floral print on the body with a white stand. But it's in a box in storage! The Jennerbug has one in her room that her necklaces hang from that I found at Target...yes, it's my fave store!!!!! I could serious damage to my wallet if I could! I would love to have a life sized vintage dress form to decorate with ruffles, satin and lace!!! That would be a great challenge and a lot of fun!!!! When I
get the mini dress forms from Hobby Lobby, I'll post the photos!

Don't forget that the Oscars are on
Tonight!!! I never miss it every year and love the dresses that the stars wear on the red carpet!!!!!

Speaking of movies! Tomorrow is Movie Monday!!! Next up is from Italian Neo-Realism director Luchino Visconti and starring the enigmatic Anna Magnani as a stage mother who is trying to get her young daughter to the "Prettiest Girl in Rome" contest. The film is called "Bellissima" is a satire of the film industry, and centers around a mother and daughter after the later attends an audition.

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Writing White Knight: Lewis Carroll

2010-03-04T21:44:00.001-06:00

(Photos from top: Charles Dodgson as Lewis Carroll in his Wonderland; A young Dodgson; A older-middle aged Dodgson).

He walked with a slight jerky gait. His light blue eyes was a contrast with his auburn hair. He often took a morning constitutional (walk), staring straight ahead. Only stopping to talk to friend or children. He always had a small toy or puzzle in his breast pocket of his waist coat. He looked no different than many of the other students and teachers who inhabited Oxford's Christ College. But this unassuming man would write a book for a child who begged him to write a story just for her.

Charles L. Dodgson, or as he was known by his pen name: the pseudonym was a play on his real name; Lewis was the anglicised form of Ludovicus, which was the Latin for Lutwidge, and Carroll an Irish surname similar to the Latin name Carolus, from which the name Charles comes (Lewis Carroll - A Biography Morton Cohen).

Early in his life, Charles Dodgson grew up the oldest boy in a family of eleven children. He was born on January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire England. The resourceful Charles would keep his younger siblings entertained by writing stories, some that even appeared in the family magazine Mischmach. Other times, Charles invented games and puzzles for his brothers and sisters to solve.

His family was from a long line of Anglican Clergyman. By the time Charles went to school and away from home, he was known as an exceptional student especially in math. He followed his father's educational path by becoming a student at Rugby and then Christ Church Oxford, with expectations that he would take Holy Orders into priesthood. However, for whatever reason he abandoned that path.

His health was not too great, he lost his hearing in one ear after getting a fever, and had a noticeable stammer, which in true Lewis Carroll fashion, he would be self-deprecating. However, this didn't stop him from being friends with or interacting with the known celebrities of the day, such as John Ruskin, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, George MacDonald or even Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It was George MacDonald the well know writer of fairy tales who's children wanted Dodgson to publish "Alice's Adventures Underground."

Two weeks before his 66th birthday, Dodgson got sick with Pneumonia at his sister's house in Guilford, Surrey England and passed away.

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Wonderous Alice: The Real Alice Liddell.

2010-03-03T21:05:00.001-06:00

(Photos from top: A pensive teenage Alice - photo taken by Charles Dodgson; another photo of Alice, around age 10 taken by Dodgson; Charles Dodgson; "Beyond the Looking Glass: Reflections of Alice and her family." An Alice bio I found recently at a used bookstore for my Alice collection.)

We all know the story by heart...a seven year old, golden haired girl tumbles down either a rabbit hole or disappears behind a mirror escaping the life she knows. Only to find odd creatures, bad manners, and Victorian political humor. Many people know that this story was written by a mathematics tutor at the request of a little girl who's father was the Dean of Christ Church - Oxford.

The real Alice, or rather Alice Liddell, looked nothing like her blonde counterpart. She had shorter hair, and her hair color was brown. Her family, well, her mother in particular were social climbers, who wanted the real Alice to marry one of Queen Victoria's sons. Alice was the second oldest daughter, and the fourth oldest overall in a family of ten children. Large families during the Victorian era was common among the upper class.

On the day Alice Liddell met Charles Dodgson, it was in the Dean's gardens of Christ Church college - Oxford. She was playing with her older sister Ina and older brother Harry. What the children saw was a tall man with blue eyes and wavy hair and a slight smile. Alice once remarked that Mr. Dodgson "Walked upright like he swallowed a poker." Dodgson...no stranger for having many brothers and sisters himself became friends with the children.

The laid back Dodgson seemed to encourage the Liddell children to have fun and play. It was a time of "children being seen and not heard."
He had in his room at Tom Quad, children's toys for the kids to play with while their governess, Miss Prickett looked on. Dodgson took many photos of the Liddells in colorful costumes. But what set Alice apart from the other Liddell children, and held Dodgson's affections is still to this day, speculation. It could just be that he was just fond of Alice and was inspired to write a story for her because she asked?

On one sunny July 4th, 1862; although, according to weather records at the time, it was actually a partly cloudy day and rather wet. Dodgson, his friend Robinson Duckworth and three of the Liddell girls: Alice, her older sister Ina and their younger sister Edith rowed from Folly Bridge to a shelter of hayricks along the Thames. Alice insisted on a story and what Mr. Dodgson told was a story which would first become "Alice's Adventures Underground." Before re tooling it a bit and changing the title. The then ten year old Alice, became the protagonist. Dodgson inserted himself and Duckworth as the Dodo and the Duck from the Caucus Race scene in the book, along with Ina aka Lorry and Edith aka Eaglet.

As Alice grew up she saw less and less of Mr. Dodgson. Alice's mother was never really fond of Dodgson and had burned some letters he wrote to Alice, again, to this day there is a lot of speculation to what happened. An adult Alice went on to have flirtations with Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria's youngest son. She would eventually marry Reginald Hargreaves, an heir to a wealthy textile family, and bore three sons.

I feel that the best resource to read about Mr. Dodgson is Morton Cohen's biography of Dodgson -" Lewis Carroll A Biography," which is the best bio of LC, and one I have read many times and own. Other authors have also zeroed in on why Mrs. Liddell burned the letters and why, after Dodgson's death, his family tore pages from his diaries. From Karoline Leach's research to the lost pages of Dodgson's diary in the LC bio: "Shadow of a Dreamchild," to the historical novels: "Still She Haunts Me" by Katie Roiphe to Melanie Benjamin's "Alice I Have Been," and the movie "Dreamchild," all of these versions re-examine the relationship between Alice and Dodgson through fiction and continued speculation, that will never stop for decades to come.

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Movie Mondays...Mad About Alice Movies!

2010-03-01T21:51:00.001-06:00

Maybe it was the billowy blue dress and white apron. Or the golden hair...or her wonderment...whatever the reason; when I saw her on film I just knew that I liked her!!! More so than any Fairy tale Princess, Alice seemed more human. Little did I know watching Alice movies and reading the Alice books that Alice was inspired by a real little girl. When I was in the third grade I happened upon Alice's Adventure's Underground, and on the last page Lewis Carroll pasted a photo he took of the child that inspired him to write about a crazy place called "Wonderland." From then on I was hooked...or rather obsessed with Alice, Lewis Carroll and Wonderland.

I've seen so many different versions of Alice movies. From live action to cartoons that to me, the only one to come close to Lewis Carroll's story (aka Charles L. Dodgson) is the 1966 British tv version that I saw when I was a kid out in California. If I remember correctly, I saw it on the tv program the Family Film Festival back in the 1980's. In this version, a wild-haired Alice (Anne-Marie Mallika), follows the White Rabbit into Wonderland. What sets this film apart from the others is that Carroll's political humor, and social commentary of the time is used more to point out the whole class system of the Victorian era - for instance, the Queen and King of Hearts look a lot like Queen Victoria and her Consort Prince Albert, knowing that politics as usual were pretty cut-throat at the time. Whatever the reason, this surrealistic look into Wonderland is a must-see if you can find a copy
on dvd.

Another rare version of a Alice film is the first one that was made in 1904. The film last only minutes, but from what I understand, is pretty faithful to the story to.

My favorite Alice motion picture is the one that Paramount filmed with the whos-who of Hollywood...everyone was going through "Alice Mania" in the 1930's, because of the centennial of Lewis Carroll's birth and the real Alice, or rather Alice Liddell-Hargreaves, coming to America to receive an honorary degree from Columbia University. Paramount seizing an opportunity, had a big casting call for the perfect Alice, and they chose an unknown. Charlotte Henry was chosen to wear the iconic billowy blue dress, while convorting through Wonderland with such well known stars as Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle; WC Fields as Humpy Dumpty; and Gary Cooper as the White Knight. With all these stars, Paramount thought they had a blockbuster! They were wrong. It flopped at the boxoffice. In spite all of this, I was charmed by Charlotte Henry's portrayal of Alice...very sweet and innocent among the crazy
inhabitants of Wonderland!

Another appealing Alice was Walt Disney's cartoon Alice. This Alice was beautifully voiced by Kathryn Beaumont. When she tearfully sings, "Very Good Advice," about wanting to go home it makes me sad! A few years back I bought a copy of the "Deluxe" DVD with 2 disks. One disk had a Christmas promo from the old Disneyland tv show with Kathryn dressed as Alice being interviewed by Mr. Disney. She seemed really sweet and adorable in that interview! Like the Paramount Alice almost 20 years earlier, Disney's Alice was considered a flop...it was until the late 60's when Disney's Alice was in vogue because of Mary Blair's art direction...the vibrant use of color and the way the characters were drawn, it was considered a trippy "head" film.

I will continue Alice Week on Wednesday. Next up: The story of the "real" Alice and how she inspired a shy Oxford Don to write the Alice books!

(Aspects of Alice ~ In order of photos: May Clark in the first Alice film - 1904; Charlotte Henry in the all star Paramount Alice film - 1933; Charlotte Henry again from the 1933 version; Kathryn Beaumont and her cartoon counterpart from Disney's Technicolored Alice film - 1951; A poster from the Disney version (copyright Walt Disney Studios); Anne-Marie Mallik in the 1966 British tv play of Alice in Wonderland.

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Kicking Off Alice Week!!!

2010-02-28T21:14:00.001-06:00

This week I'm going to have something everyday about Alice in Wonderland, since the Tim Burton version will be released this Friday. Kicking it off is some of my Alice collection, and this is not my whole collection! I have figurings, books, pewter figures, dolls, and even a chess set of Alice figures I received as a Christmas gift a few years back...as you can see, even the Jennerbug has her own Alice doll! The one thing about my collection is I have a lot of "Disney" Alice because it's more easier to find. I do have a lot of John Tenniel (he was the one that drew the iconic Alice in both the Alice books!) inspired items...but they are a little more rare! I rather have more Tenniel things than Disney!

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Movie Mondays!!!!! Featuring: The Black Narcissus

2010-02-22T21:17:00.000-06:00

Visually stunning, intricate plot and Nuns gone crazy...that's what you get in Powell and Pressburger's adaptation of Rumer Godden's book - The Black Narcissus.

I was attracted to this movie after seeing the screen prints in one of my text books that I had to use for a film course I took at the University of Iowa (my alma mater!)...it looked visually stunning, and years later I finally bought a DVD copy for myself and I was not disappointed!!!!

Even in today's computer generated films, Jack Cardiff cinematography, Alfred Junge's Production Design, Peter Ellenshaw and W. Percy Day's Special Effects, still holds up pretty well...considering that the background was painted matte to recreate a Himalayan valley. The plot is basically simple...Sister Clodaugh (Deborah Kerr) is recruited to be the Head Nun at a converted seraglio, or "harem" house for sequestered concubines. This former house of ill repute serves as a backdrop of women being seen as unstable, or going mad, as the Nuns feel that they too are being sequestered as they try to set up a school and a church for the locals. Then again the viewer learns that not only the Nuns have a hard time trying to convert the locals, but Priests have tried as well and failed. Affairs of the heart underline the plot as one man, British Agent Dean (David Farrar) have both Sisters Clodaugh and Ruth (Kathleen Byron) wanting his affections. When Sister Ruth tries to lure Agent Dean by running away from the converted convent, in plain clothes...he rejects her affections and Sister Ruth goes running back to the Convent in a climatic fight on the bell tower with Sister Clodaugh.

In a secondary plot, a lower caste girl named Kanchi (Jean Simmons) caches the eye of General (Sabu) as he goes to the Convent to be educated by the Nuns. I believe that the role of Kanchi only solidifies what the Nuns wish they could be...free from the restrictions their faith allows and what they wish they could have that surrounds them at their time in the Himalayan Valley, desires and luxury, as well as pleasure and humilliation...the chance to be human. We see in flashbacks, the life Sister Clodaugh had before becoming a Nun...a chance at love and a chance at freedom...it is implied that she suffered a broken heart...is this the reason why she became a Nun??? Does her attraction to Mr. Dean remind of her past and things that could of been if things turned out better in Ireland?!

Whatever the reason...it's a classic film...beautifully directed, wonderfully casted and the acting is superb!!! Highly recommend it!!!

Lazy Sundays and other Musings

2010-02-21T21:46:00.000-06:00

Sundays are my lazy days...staying home and doing nothing...well...not nothing!!! I still have to take care of the Jennerbug and do some housework...but other than that it's a day to relax and reload. Jens was really great today...we spent most of the time watching Qubo and she was all over, drawing, coloring, playing with toys...etc...I caught her coloring Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast in the photo above. I think she likes a little Mommy and Me time. After a while I was working on one of my cross stitching projects...a pillowcase with the Little Mermaid on it. I promised to make one for the Jennerbug and the other for her little friend Aurora who comes over for playdates. It's pre-printed...although...I enjoy working on counted cross stitching...this one should go fast as it's already printed.

I have three cross-stitching projects on-going...one that is 20 years old and I recently picked it up again...it's Raggedy Ann and Andy called "Friends"...I decided that it would look cute in the Jennerbug's bedroom...even if it has Disney Princesses all over and it had pink walls...oh, well...it will be nice to have something I made in there...she already has a cross stitch picture that I worked on when I was expecting her...it's a baby one and I have it hanging on the wall next to her bedroom door. The other cross-stitch project it ones with cats all over getting into bags...it's called "Bag Ladies"...it's pretty cute.

The other thing that I've been trying to work on and finish is my writing...so I have set a time to work on cross stitching in the late winter, early spring...since to me, it makes me feel warm and cozy working on that project...then during the spring and summer months work on the writing part. I get so restless and it does me a world of good to have "breaks" from going from one project to another. I think, for me that this is the best way to do my projects and I would be less burnt out!!!!

Speaking of Burn outs...

Maybe I shouldn't use the word "burn" since the other thing on my mind tonight is the fire that happened at Adventureland...an amusement park that is less than 10 mins away from my house. Granted, I grew up in Anaheim California, so I've been to amusement parks all my life...well, Disneyland was always my fave...going back to Adventureland...yesterday after the Jennerbug's playdate with her little friend...I wanted to get out of the house...I had extreme cabin fever and so I just wanted to get out...so my baby spent a few hours with her dad and I took off towards Ankeny...passing by Adventureland along the way...and thinking I was feeling sorry about the construction workers putting up waterslides for the Kokamo Cove section of the park in this cold weather we've been experiencing. And according to news reports when I was passing the park at around 4pm that's when the fire started...however...that's not the only weird thing about this story...when me and my friend Melissa were going over things for the girls to do on their playdates in the coming months, when I asked her about taking the girls to Adventureland...I was thinking that they might be a little too young...Melissa took her daughter to AL last year at the age of 2...and they do have some kiddy rides...and so I mentioned to Melissa that the Main Street at AL was modeled after the one at Disneyland...from what I've read on the AL website that they had permission from the Walt Disney Co. to use a similar design for their Main Street. The building that caught on fire was their gift shop which, my husband bought me a stuffed cat that is now upstairs in the Jennerbug's bedroom.

Tomorrow: Movie Mondays!!!!!

The next movie in my Movie Monday series is the Black Narcissus...starring Deborah Kerr and Jean Simmons, who recently passed away. It's one my all time favorite movies and I hope you will enjoy my opinions and thoughts on the movie!!!!

Hopeful Spring and other Musings...

2010-02-20T23:33:00.000-06:00

I have this lovely topiary in my bedroom. It's a little tree with white roses all over it, and so the one rose at the base really caught my eye...I know it's a fake rose but, looking at it reminded me that although hopeful soon, I'll get to smell real roses with my daughter when all this snow melts away and she gets to play outside once again.

For the past month my daughter - the Jennerbug has been having playdates with a friend from Preschool. She's been having fun and it's a good time where me and her friend's mom - Melissa could just sit and talk about our kids and things in general. I have a blast as well. It's good for the four of us and I feel that I found a kindred spirit in Melissa. We've been going to each other's houses every couple of weeks and in between we've been to the Science Center here in Des Moines. That was the first time that me and the Jennerbug has been there and we both loved it!!!! There are a lot of interactive things for kids to do and it's really neat. In a few weeks is Kids Fest over at the Iowa State Fair Grounds, so we are going to make a day of it. Since neither Me or Melissa had taken our daughters to Kids Fest, so this should be interesting.

After the Jennerbug's playdate today she was tired and well still had a bit of a cold, she even didn't want to eat dinner tonight, all she wanted to do was sleep. So we put her to bed early. I'm kind of hoping that she does not get up too early, and just rest!!!!!!

Well, tomorrow I promise more musings...if you like what you read here, thank you for reading!!!! If you stumble on to this blog...I'm humbled that you took the time to read it!!!!

Thanks once again!!!!

Little Things...

2010-02-17T21:21:00.000-06:00

From my Facebook page:

It's the little things I love: I love hearing the Jennerbug in her little voice talking to her dolls and stuffed toys at night when she is trying to fall asleep.

Movie Mondays!!!!!

2010-02-15T17:12:00.000-06:00

I've decided that since I'm a bit of a movie buff, I thought it would be interesting, fun and well, thought provoking to have Movie Mondays in my blog. The movies that I choose will be from the silent era up to the 1960. Anyone can join in the discussion and can recommend their own favorite movies from early movies to the 60's. The only rule is to stick to the decades mentioned above.

The first film is D.W. Griffith's Broken Blossoms, which was one of the films I viewed in film class that really touched me. It's a depressing film, in which Lillian Gish befriends a China man. Her kindness wins him over and they become friends. But behind closed doors her father, a boxer is abusive. I won't spoil the rest of the plot, but the end really got to me!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2010-02-14T22:00:00.003-06:00

Hope you have a great Valentine's Day!!!