Style Crush: Lucille Ball

Style Crush is back and this week is featuring the gorgeous, talented, hilarious Lucille Ball.  I've watched I Love Lucy for as far back as my memory goes.  It's just such a classic, wonderful show.  Full of laughs and certainly fabulous fashion!

I love this casual look she's wearing in this photo with Desi.  Those pants are divine!  I also adore the photo of her in the floppy hat and playsuit.  Such a beautiful look.  Plus below, green always looks fantastic on a redhead.  I'd love to find a green polka dot dress like that!

There's something about the photo above that makes me want to stare.  Her hair and makeup look and incredible.  She was such a beauty.

People remember her most as goofy Lucy but she was more than that.  I remember seeing her in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) and was amazed at her in it.  She was so beautiful and sang so wonderfully.

This last photo, I've got to say, is one of my most favourites.  That hat is amazing and she looks so glamorous.  Lucy will always hold a special place in my heart as a fellow ginger.  I still watch I Love Lucy and even though I've seen the episodes repeated times, she still makes me laugh and smile.

What are your fondest memories of Lucy?

Of Birdcage Veils and Navy Blue

We now bring you your regularly scheduled blog post.  I've been pretty much MIA last week except for the usual Instagram post, which just so happened to be my 100th post!  I think I'd like to do some sort of giveaway to celebrate this milestone.  I am also a few followers away on Instagram to reaching 1000!  It's so exciting.  So in honour of that I'll probably post a giveaway for you all here and one for my Instagram followers.

I know I've said this a few times recently, but this is one of my new favourite outfits.  I think this dress may be a contender for World War II Weekend in June.  I am going to have a very hard time narrowing my choices down.  This was the first time that I wore this navy straw hat with the birdcage veil.  I've had it for awhile but it's just been a decoration in my flat until now.  I like to keep my hats displayed all over so that I may enjoy them when not wearing them.

Monday's are when I volunteer at my library in the morning.  It consists of lots of shelving and putting things away in alphabetical order.  I love alphabetical order.  Plus all the ladies that work at the library are so nice and I enjoy spending time with them.  I feel at home surrounded by books.

After the library, I went out and took outfit photos at my usual location of Conrad Weiser Homestead (not this outfit, taken at my mum's house).  I can't believe how gorgeous it was and still is today.  It got all the way up to 75 and the next few days are going to be just as nice.  Wednesday they are calling for it to be in the low 80s.  I think spring is finally here to stay.  I just wish the temperatures would be a bit more transitive.

Today would have been my grandma Ruth's 92nd birthday if she was still alive.  She passed away back in April of 2008 and was the last of my living grandparents.  She was a very beautiful, talented woman.  An incredible pianist, artist, and writer.  I miss her and my other grandma Charlotte so much.  I never knew either of my grandfather's as they were both gone before I was born.

Outfit Details:

vintage dress, vintage hat, vintage gloves, belt {thrifted}

vintage handbag {gift}

wedge sandals {payless}

I'm sure I've said this before, but there's just something about the warmth and sunshine that puts a bounce in my step and spreads happiness throughout.  Hopefully the coming warmer temperatures will lift my spirits and keep them up.

Want to see what photos didn't make it on the blog?  Head over to Facebook for the rest.

Ruth Ava (Knowlton) Parker

8 April 1921 - 26 April 2008

My Week According to Instagram/100th Post!

Wow!  Can you believe that this is my 100th post?!  Soon enough it will be the blog's one year anniversary.

Monday I volunteered at the library for a few hours.  It was nice to hang out with the lovely ladies there and of course where all the books live!  If I could, I would probably live in the library, that's how much I love books and their stories.  That's also probably why I turned my spare bedroom into a library.  Who needs a spare bedroom anyway?  I spent my time there putting away the DVDs (the actual discs are kept behind the counter) and stocking them plus the books/magazines throughout the library.  It doesn't sound like it would take one long, but after the holiday weekend there was a lot to put away.  Doing this totally fed into my slightly OCD organization skills.

Thursday night I went to the library's crochet club.  You can also knit there, but they like a good alliteration like I do.  The librarian taught me a few basic crochet steps as I've never done it before.  It was really fun and something I wanted to learn for quite awhile.  I'd like to learn to knit also, but they suggested crochet first as it was a little simpler.  I can't wait to get it down so I can start making all sorts of things.  Right now I'm working on a scarf, but that seems a bit silly during springtime.

1. So excited for The Nerdist to be a weekly series!

2-4. Easter Sunday pastels.

5. He is Risen.

6. A sweet old Easter Greeting card.

7. Last week's Instagram post.

8. Fred and George Weasley! Fittingly their birthday was April Fools.

9. I love this little man so much.

10. This calendar has incredible pictures.

11. Norman Reedus looking his usual sexy in The Notorious Bettie Page.

12. Antique table, free from the side of the road!

13. Vintage perfume bottles upon said table.

14. A sweet old photograph of a beautiful girl on my desk.

15. Seeking makeup help for dark eye circles.

16. Thursday's outfit.

17. Took outfit photos. Soon to be on the blog.

18. Incredible stack of old crochet, knitting, sewing, and embroidery booklets.

19. Why yes, yes I am.

20. Doctor Who Wedding? Geronimo!

21. Caffeine fix for watching my 5 year old nephew.

22. Gorgeous peacock at Saturday night's restaurant.

23. Did someone say Lucy? Today's outfit laid out.

24. Watched a great documentary about King George VI.

Yesterday I watched my nephew and then we all went out to dinner at Kauffman's Chicken (or the Chicken House as Evan calls it).  We had a yummy dinner and then tasty ice cream for dessert.  I got to see the beautiful peacock that lives there and then go home and see the beautiful Time Lord that came on the telly.

Today is the usual church and then mum's.  We will probably take the dogs for a walk since it's going to be lovely out again.  Then MAD MEN!  I'm so excited for the return tonight.  Especially since (thank to Watchathon Week) I'm for once caught up for the new season.

Did you do anything special to celebrate the warm weather?  Have a glorious day!  And thanks to those who have been reading and enjoying!

My Week According to Instagram

Happy Easter one and all!  I hope you are having a wonderful time celebrating this very special day.  I will be attending church, as usual, with my mum.  Afterwards my brother, his wife, and son will come over for Easter dinner at my mum's house.  I'm glad we are able to spend time together.

Hopefully by tonight, I can continue to remain spoiler-free in regards to The Walking Dead after last week's fiasco.  There's nothing worse than spoilers.

In more cheerful news, Bomb Girls and Doctor Who is back!!!  Plus Mad Men in one week!  Hopefully these shows will fill the hole that The Walking Dead will leave.  But sadness aside, can we just take a moment and talk about how amazing the return of Bomb Girls and Doctor Who was?  I almost forgot how much I enjoyed those programs until they came back on.  Oh Doctor...

1. Last week's Instagram post.

2. Made stuffed shells for dinner last Sunday.

3. Smudger playing hide and go seek.

4. It's not easy taking a photo of the back of your legs.

5. Angry words with just cause.

6. How great is this?

7-8. Shared this post on Instagram.

9. Emma Pillsbury has some good pamphlets.

10. Baby Willow didn't want her hair to get tousled in the wind.

11. Gingers.

12. One of my favourite Doctor Who quotes.

13. Mad Men marathon. I'm all caught up for next week!

14. Gorgeous pink vintage hat.

15. Bomb Girls is back on!

16. Emma Pillsbury was this week's Style Crush.

17. My grandma Ruth in front of the beach house her dad built, 1940s.

18. Sweet glove clip that attaches to your handbag, belonged to my grandma Charlotte.

19. Throwback to last April. Was going to see Titanic for its 100th anniversary.

20. Oh, silly Smudger!

21-22. Mad Men influenced.  Hello 60s!

23. Friday's accessories. The sunnies belonged to my grandma Charlotte.

24. Took photos for a future blog post.

25. I love the Peter Pan collar on this dress.

26. Shared this post on Instagram.

27-28. Yesterday's outfit. Rosie the Riveter inspired for taking my nephew to an egg hunt.

 29. This car was at the one egg hunt and I couldn't resist even though it's the wrong era.
30. Pastel polka dots for Easter!
31-32. He's back!!!

It's slowly starting to warm up again.  This weekend's weather has been nice, in the 50s, though they are calling for rain this afternoon.  I know I've said this before, but I can't wait for the warmth to come and stay.  Friday I got to wear my pretty blue 1960s frock.  I had to go in that direction after watching a season and a half of Mad Men.  But I'm ready and rearing to go for next week's premiere.  

Yesterday Mum and I helped out at our church's Easter egg hunt.  My nephew came along and then we took him to another egg hunt.  The lucky lad!  I wish they had egg hunts for adults.  I miss the rush and thrill of trying to grab those eggs.  Plus some free candy is always nice.  Though they did hand out chocolate bunnies to both adults and children at the second egg hunt.  Yum.

What are your Easter plans?  I hope you have a happy and joyous day no matter what it is!  Happy Easter!

Librarian Chic

I felt very much like I robbed Emma Pillsbury's wardrobe in this outfit.  Which is very fitting since Glee's guidance counselor was just featured in this week's Style Crush.  The funny thing is, I wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago when we had that warm weekend before I even thought of Emma as a Style Crush.  Then I picked her and this outfit just so happened to be the next one to post.  How serendipitous!

You may be thinking that this looks like a new location.  Well, it is!  My usual backdrop was otherwise occupied, so I went to Middlecreek Wildlife Reserve to take photos.  This was also the first day I got to break out the Nikon my dad gave to me for my birthday.

I must say, it was much more awkward taking photos here of myself than at any other location I've experienced thus far.  Middlecreek is a place where you can view the local wildlife, go hiking, take dogs walking, or ride your horse.  So there I pull up all dressed up in heels with a camera and tripod whilst everyone else is in active gear.

Thankfully I found a little hiking path and hobbled my way around.  They have wooden planks laid on the trail so when it's rained the trail doesn't get horribly muddy.  It definitely helped me out.  I did end up being passed by a couple different families whilst taking photos.  I just sort of smiled at them and then avoided eye contact.

A gorgeous gathering of swans.  There were loads of people lined up along the road taking photos of these lovely creatures.  I'm not really a bird person, but they did look beautiful.

 Outfit Details:

vintage blouse, vintage skirt, belt {thrifted}

vintage handbag {gift}

wedge sandals {payless}

I probably won't take photos here again unless necessary or I have someone taking them for me.  It was nice and beautiful but far too crowded and farther away than Conrad Weiser Homestead.  I missed the beautiful stone structures and my usual spots.  Though a little change never hurt anyone.  I'd like a little more variety in backdrops but I don't want to have to drive all over.  So, for now, I'll stick with ol' faithful.

Want to see what photos didn't make it onto the blog?  Head over to Facebook for a peek!