Have A Very Happy New Year To All!!!

    I thought I would share with every body a few wonderful old time new years post cards.

   These post cards are incredibly sweet, are they not?

Also here is one of me! Wishing you the very best New Year ever!!!

xo

Brooksie

Hello and Happy Holidays!

This is my kind of Christmas (Image from Google)

I am still in the midst of unpacking, cleaning and organizing from my move (I know, the worst time ever to move right?). I have not been able to find my camera yet but I will someday! Because of this I have not been able to take cute Christmas pictures of the quaint little town I now live in which also means no pictures of our red, white and blue Christmas tree! (we decided to go patriotic with my sweetie having just retired from the navy a couple of months ago now. The tree is flocked - which is white and looks like snow - with blue and red  glass Christmas tree ornaments and multi-color lights, I think next year we will have to go with white lights).

Instead I will give you some excerpts from my book: It's a Wonderful Christmas - The best of the Holidays 1940-1965! This fun little book was one of my Christmas gifts last year.

A Very Eisenhower Christmas -
During their years in the White House, the Eisenhower's did Christmas on a grand scale. For the 1958 holiday season, Mamie arranged for carols to be piped into every room. Miles of greenery were wrapped around every column, indoors and out, and over two dozen trees were decorated in classic 1950's style, with glass balls, electric candle lights, and waterfalls of tinsel.

Elvis The Giver -
Elvis bought his beloved Graceland in the spring of 1957. His mother Gladys, received a kitchen full of new appliances and a cashmere coat. During his last Christmas in Graceland, 1976, Elvis donated $1,000 to the local police station and an additional $52,000 to various charities. He gave several cars to friends and a few to strangers he'd never met.

Shirley Temple Said -
I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.

Ladies Home Journal, December, 1952 -
The punch bowl glistens, conversation sparkles, and your buffet party succeeds! Serve crisp cheese wafers, potato chips, and peanut butter dip.

Mamie Eisenhower -
During her eight years as First Lady, she not only personally shopped for gifts for the White House staff but wrapped each one herself to save money.

During this time period the average American family spends 4% of its annual income on gifts.

Also during this time period 10% of American households leave milk and cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Well that is all for now if you want more I guess you will just have to go out and buy the book!

xo

Brooksie

Checking In

I thought I would give you all a little update so you know why I have been away for a while. I am in the process of moving to small town USA which is about 30 miles west of the big city. Moving is never easy especially at holiday time. I will miss living in the city but this little town is kind of cute and is growing on me. I really would love to take some pics of this little town all decorated for the holidays and post them on here but I am not going to guarantee that will happen because my hands have been pretty full with this move. However after the new year I will be giving my blog a makeover and making my "vintage fashion inspired by the movies" themed posts a regular monthly feature (right now these posts have just been kind of sporadic but what I have found is that they are some of my most popular blog posts). Plus I have some other things up my sleeve for my blog for next year. I would love some input from my readers: what would you like to see more of from me? More outfit posts, craft ideas, pictures of vintage finds, home remedies, recipes or product reviews? None of the above or all of the above or do you have some other idea please let me know.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my humble blog!

xo

Brooksie

On the Runway!

On October 20th 2012 I had the opportunity to do a fashion show. I am very excited to say this was my very first time doing runway modeling! I am just now posting because I just finally got the photos the other day.

Here is the whole group of us including Danielle the fashion knit wear diva/designer (in the middle with the aqua hair and orange scarf).
Photo by Eric Donaldson Tworivers

Here I am with the vintage Anastasia crocheted cap and upcycled rabbit fur knit poncho.
Photo by Eric Donaldson Tworivers
 

This was for the ReUse Fashion Show during the ReUse Expo 2012 that was located at the Double Tree Hotel in Portland. I had the honor of modeling my friend Danielle's wonderful creations which incorporate a lot of recycled materials. She has a small business by the name of PoorGirl Couture, she is a knitting & crocheting genius (at least I think she is!). You can find PoorGirl Couture on face book: poorgirl.couture. Danielle is greatly inspired by the works of Erte' from the 1920's (you gotta love that). If you want to learn more about Erte' please visit a previous post of mine here: erte-display-at-pittock-mansion. I also want to share that Danielle is very creative, I really love seeing and reading her posts on face book everyday. She motivates and inspires my creativity all of the time, I will admit to you that not a lot of people that I know personally make me feel this way but she is one who does. I really had a lot of fun and a great time doing this show!

Photo by Eric Donaldson Tworivers

Until next time!

Brooksie

Fashion Inspiration From The Movie The Changeling 2008.

All photos from Google.

I got this movie some time ago from the library gift shop where they sell gently used DVDs at a greatly discounted price. I had heard that the Changeling was a good movie and the costuming was quite fabulous so I had to get it and have a look see.

The film was directed by Clint Eastwood and staring Angelina Jolie. It starts off in 1928 and ends up in the 30's. It is about a woman who's young son ends up missing. The movie has some twists and turns, it is also based on true events so it is worth watching.

Now the part you are waiting for, the lovely outfits:



Most fabulous coat with fur collar and look at those wonderful shoes with the buckle! Plus the perfect finger waves!

The picture perfect cloche hat and a beautiful face.

Look at that absolutely gorgeous sea foam green silk chiffon dress!

Nightwear in pretty soft colors and sheer, silky fabrics.

Nice but very much forgotten touches such as the corsage or silk flower lapel pin.

Most of the costumes were various shades of greens and browns which makes matching and putting together outfits a dream.

Always the perfect pin curled set. What a wonderful hat (very much a Casablanca type of hat from the 30's, I am very happy to say I have one like it AND look at the green wool suit!).

Nice little patterned apron for all of the domestic every day house hold chores.

Last but not least another great outfit.

Ciao my Bella's!

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt.

One of my all time favorite books is The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston. If you are a lover of the 1920's you need to check out this book! The pictures alone are total 1920's eye candy. I had never even heard of this book before until one of my blog followers, Stephanie Ruby Feldman of rubymusings.blogspot. turned me on to it. I went to the book store only to just take a peek at it and then I was going to check it out at the library but as soon as I laid eyes on it I had to have it!

Caroline Preston, the author has a huge collection of vintage ephemera and she wanted to find a creative idea to utilize it. She came up with the idea to tell the story of a fictional character (Frankie) in a book that is all laid out and written like a real scrapbook from the 1920's. The book starts off with Frankie having just graduated from high school and several years following. Many adventures and twist & turns are in store for the reader. To find out more about the book, the author and the ephemra collection visit the website: carolinepreston.

My very favorite picture from the book!
 

Until next time luvs!

Brooksie

New Gothic.

New Gothic. by brooksielu featuring stackable rings

Goth coat
$69 - the-gothic-shop.co.uk

Guess shoes
heels.com

Alexander McQueen box clutch purse
ssense.com

Lucky Brand stackable ring
luckybrand.com

Johnny Loves Rosie hair accessory
$10 - debenhams.com

Rockett St George Harvey Branches Wall Sticker – Black
$78 - coggles.com

Roasted Chestnuts.

Picture from Allrecipies.com
 

It is a very blustery and wet day out there today with intermittent torrential downpours! I had an appointment earlier today then I went home. I have not wanted to set foot outdoors since. Instead I am roasting chestnuts, this is the second time I have ever roasted chestnuts. The first time I tried it was a few years ago and I loved them. I saw them at the grocery store the other day so I picked up a bunch, today is the perfect day for chestnut roasting. Oh what a treat! This time I am trying a little bit of a different recipie (last time I just cut an X into them, put them in a shallow roasting pan, when done cooking I wrapped them up in an old kitchen towel then peeled the skins off) this time I am cutting the X, roasting them for a 1/2 hour then putting them in the old towel, peel off skins, place them into a skillet with some butter to saute' then back into the oven with a pinch of salt and a bit of cinnamon. For the complete recipie: allrecipes.com


Enjoy!

Brooksie

Birthday fun at the coast!

It was my sweetheart Tim's Birthday on November 6th so we went for four days and stayed at the Inn at Otter Crest to celebrate. The Inn at Otter Crest is a wonderful place to stay, Tim's family has a time share there. They have a living room, kitchen, two full bathrooms and a bedroom. There is a pool, hot tub and sauna (I love the hot tub) with a wonderful view of the ocean from the room. It is also just a few miles to town which is Newport. Here are some pictures of our adventures:

Tim's car.

These pictures above are all pictures of the view from our room.The first night we got there we just cooked dinner, ate and relaxed.

The next day was absolutely beautiful for this time of year sunny with blue sky and some fluffy white clouds, the temperature was about 67 degrees out with very little wind. We took a little hike through a wooded area which led to the beach and then we walked the rest of the way back on the beach.

Me with the view of the Inn at Otter Crest and the ocean in the background.

Me on Otter Beach.

Water fall at Otter Beach.

Tim at the waterfall on Otter Beach.

After the long beach walk we came back fixed lunch and ate then we got into the car for a little drive a few miles down the road and some exploration in a little town called Historic Nye Beach.

Historic Nye Beach

This is a wonderful little place to visit, it is right on the ocean and has several nice stores and bistros. We came home had dinner then went in the hot tub and relaxed before bed.

On day three we woke up to much cooler weather and lots of rain and drizzle but we did not let it get us down, we forged ahead anyways. We went to Newport on the bay to pick up some fresh caught seafood to cook back at the room and to also do a little bit of window shopping.

Me at down at the bay.

A lady told me today that my outfit looked very smart!

Look at all of those seals on that rock!

The little town of Newport.

More pictures of the bay.

Fresh seafood from the market: Oysters, scallops and crab, fresh caught earlier that morning.

Before heading back to the room we stopped off at a antique mall and I found some things:

 

My antique mall finds include: a really cute velvet Jessica McClintock dress with built in crinoline, a pair of springolator shoes from the 1950's and a Banana Republic 1930's style vintage inspired dress (the Banana Republic dress is 100% silk and was only $2.00 and is in perfect condition). After shopping at the antique mall we headed to the room and cooked up our delicious seafood and took a dip in the hot tub once it got dark (a perfect way to end a cold drizzly day at the bay).

The next day we cleaned the room and headed for home! We had a lovely time.

Until next time!

Brooksie