Clara's 1920s Summer Dress

To contact us Click HERE

Clara’s garden dress is from the late 1920s. Made of a drapy chiffon, the dress has many layers of sheer cloth overlaying a silky lining.The petal sleeves add a nice detail to the dress, and the ruffle at the waist adds a nice accent to the bodice.
Clara’s shoes are leather, with low heels and some nice 20sstyle decoration in a band across the top of the shoe. In the 1920s, shoes were worn with knee-high stockings. Clara's socks are pretty plain, but sometimes socks in the 20s were quite decorated.
A soft felt cloche – or close-fitting hat –finishes off Clara’s summery garden outfit.
The original dress was an ivory chiffon with a flowery print of lavender blossoms and green leaves. The original hat was a deep indigo blue felt, which certainly would not match the dress in real life. The shoes were brown leather with black trim, a black strap, and black buttons.
To print Clara's Dress, use this PDF file:
 Clara's Dress 53 (769k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Clara's 1919 School Dress

To contact us Click HERE
Since today was the first day of school for my kids, I decided to post a cute little school dress from 1919.

Clara’s dress is a post World War I fashion. The war had a huge influence on fashion, as the flowing andfrivolous styles of the early 1910s gave way to more practical fashions duringthe war. Clothing became more structured, borrowing details from militaryuniforms. Hemlines gradually became shorter as material was rationed.

Thisdress reflects military styling with the cuffed sleeves, yoke details, and thebox pleats on the skirt. Patch pockets add a practical, cute detail to thedress.

Clara’s shoes are simple slip-on shoes with low heels and alittle ribbon bow. The tall socks are simple, and mostly the same style as previous decades.
Clara has a soft felt cloche hat with a wideribbon woven into the brim. A cute pom-pom adds a whimsical detail to the hat.

Hat styles were also transformed by World War I. At the beginning of the decade hats had wide, floppy brims, but by the end of the decade hats had pretty narrow brims.


To print Clara's Dress, use this PDF file:
 Clara's Dress 54 (767k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Clara's 1891 Party Dress

To contact us Click HERE

Today's dress is a very frilly "princess dress" that most girls would love. Fashions in the early 1890s were very ornate, although the bustles and crinolines of previous decades were even more elaborate. Tight bodicesand drapy skirts were quite popular, and sleeves got puffier as the decade went on.

Clara’s party dress iscovered in lace and bows. The ruffles at the neck, elbows, waist, and knee arequite showy, adding enough detail to make this into a princess dress almost anygirl would love.
Clara’s hat has a wide brim and is completely covered inruffles and bows.
The party shoes worn by Clara are slippers with low heels.The shoes are covered with ruffled silk, and decorated with small bows to matchthe dress.

The original dress was light pink with a white lace collar. All the lace details and bows were black. The original hat was a straw hat with gold and white ribbons on top. The shoes were a light pink silk.


To print Clara's dress, use this PDF file:
Clara's Dress 55 (843k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Clara's 1990 Bridesmaid Dress

To contact us Click HERE
This week, we will jump forward in time by a century from the last post, Clara's 1891 Party Dress. Although the dresses are separated by an entire century, many of the major fashion elements of the dresses are similar... the puffy sleeves, the full skirts, the tight bodices and pointed dropped waists. Even the use of lace is paralleled in the two dresses.

The more formal dresses of the late 1980s and early 90s are actually in a romantic style that borrow elements from Victorian styles of the previous century. The romantic style of dress was a sort of reaction to the ripped and sloppy looks of the early 80s.

The lace, puffy sleeves, and ruffles may have been a bit much for the fashion world, and by the end of the 1990s, most styles were pretty casual, and not very extreme.

Clara's dress this week is even more formal than some dresses might be in 1900, since it was intended to be a bridesmaid dress. The original dress is made with a layer of a gauzy peach fabric under a gauzy sheer layer of lacy white.

The original shoes were gold silk, of a shade that would clash with the peach dress. Fortunately, you can select your own colors.  Dyed silk shoes have been poplar for centuries, because they can be dyed the exact color of a dress, making a completely cohesive outfit. Nowadays, matching dyed shoes are usually only worn on very formal occasions like weddings.


To print Clara's dress, use this PDF file:
Clara's Dress 56 (783k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Happy Mother's Day, Mother!

To contact us Click HERE
A few years back my Mother came to visit me here in Calabash.  She was the first one I took to the ever changing simply amazing Brookgreen Gardens.  While we were there I took pictures with her in them.

My Wonderful Mother
And she took pictures with me in them. 

Yeah, that's me (totally blond).
 So for Mother's Day that year I sent her this photo.

I love PhotoShop.
When she got the picture she says to me,
"I don't recall us taking a photo together".  hehehe

Come on you got give it to me, it's hard to tell it's photoshopped.
"Side by SideOr miles apartYou, dear Mother, Are always close to my heart!"
Happy Mother's Day, Mother!

Clara's 1920s Summer Dress

To contact us Click HERE

Clara’s garden dress is from the late 1920s. Made of a drapy chiffon, the dress has many layers of sheer cloth overlaying a silky lining.The petal sleeves add a nice detail to the dress, and the ruffle at the waist adds a nice accent to the bodice.
Clara’s shoes are leather, with low heels and some nice 20sstyle decoration in a band across the top of the shoe. In the 1920s, shoes were worn with knee-high stockings. Clara's socks are pretty plain, but sometimes socks in the 20s were quite decorated.
A soft felt cloche – or close-fitting hat –finishes off Clara’s summery garden outfit.
The original dress was an ivory chiffon with a flowery print of lavender blossoms and green leaves. The original hat was a deep indigo blue felt, which certainly would not match the dress in real life. The shoes were brown leather with black trim, a black strap, and black buttons.
To print Clara's Dress, use this PDF file:
 Clara's Dress 53 (769k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Clara's 1919 School Dress

To contact us Click HERE
Since today was the first day of school for my kids, I decided to post a cute little school dress from 1919.

Clara’s dress is a post World War I fashion. The war had a huge influence on fashion, as the flowing andfrivolous styles of the early 1910s gave way to more practical fashions duringthe war. Clothing became more structured, borrowing details from militaryuniforms. Hemlines gradually became shorter as material was rationed.

Thisdress reflects military styling with the cuffed sleeves, yoke details, and thebox pleats on the skirt. Patch pockets add a practical, cute detail to thedress.

Clara’s shoes are simple slip-on shoes with low heels and alittle ribbon bow. The tall socks are simple, and mostly the same style as previous decades.
Clara has a soft felt cloche hat with a wideribbon woven into the brim. A cute pom-pom adds a whimsical detail to the hat.

Hat styles were also transformed by World War I. At the beginning of the decade hats had wide, floppy brims, but by the end of the decade hats had pretty narrow brims.


To print Clara's Dress, use this PDF file:
 Clara's Dress 54 (767k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Clara's 1891 Party Dress

To contact us Click HERE

Today's dress is a very frilly "princess dress" that most girls would love. Fashions in the early 1890s were very ornate, although the bustles and crinolines of previous decades were even more elaborate. Tight bodicesand drapy skirts were quite popular, and sleeves got puffier as the decade went on.

Clara’s party dress iscovered in lace and bows. The ruffles at the neck, elbows, waist, and knee arequite showy, adding enough detail to make this into a princess dress almost anygirl would love.
Clara’s hat has a wide brim and is completely covered inruffles and bows.
The party shoes worn by Clara are slippers with low heels.The shoes are covered with ruffled silk, and decorated with small bows to matchthe dress.

The original dress was light pink with a white lace collar. All the lace details and bows were black. The original hat was a straw hat with gold and white ribbons on top. The shoes were a light pink silk.


To print Clara's dress, use this PDF file:
Clara's Dress 55 (843k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Clara's 1990 Bridesmaid Dress

To contact us Click HERE
This week, we will jump forward in time by a century from the last post, Clara's 1891 Party Dress. Although the dresses are separated by an entire century, many of the major fashion elements of the dresses are similar... the puffy sleeves, the full skirts, the tight bodices and pointed dropped waists. Even the use of lace is paralleled in the two dresses.

The more formal dresses of the late 1980s and early 90s are actually in a romantic style that borrow elements from Victorian styles of the previous century. The romantic style of dress was a sort of reaction to the ripped and sloppy looks of the early 80s.

The lace, puffy sleeves, and ruffles may have been a bit much for the fashion world, and by the end of the 1990s, most styles were pretty casual, and not very extreme.

Clara's dress this week is even more formal than some dresses might be in 1900, since it was intended to be a bridesmaid dress. The original dress is made with a layer of a gauzy peach fabric under a gauzy sheer layer of lacy white.

The original shoes were gold silk, of a shade that would clash with the peach dress. Fortunately, you can select your own colors.  Dyed silk shoes have been poplar for centuries, because they can be dyed the exact color of a dress, making a completely cohesive outfit. Nowadays, matching dyed shoes are usually only worn on very formal occasions like weddings.


To print Clara's dress, use this PDF file:
Clara's Dress 56 (783k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Happy Mother's Day, Mother!

To contact us Click HERE
A few years back my Mother came to visit me here in Calabash.  She was the first one I took to the ever changing simply amazing Brookgreen Gardens.  While we were there I took pictures with her in them.

My Wonderful Mother
And she took pictures with me in them. 

Yeah, that's me (totally blond).
 So for Mother's Day that year I sent her this photo.

I love PhotoShop.
When she got the picture she says to me,
"I don't recall us taking a photo together".  hehehe

Come on you got give it to me, it's hard to tell it's photoshopped.
"Side by SideOr miles apartYou, dear Mother, Are always close to my heart!"
Happy Mother's Day, Mother!

Clara's 1990 Bridesmaid Dress

To contact us Click HERE
This week, we will jump forward in time by a century from the last post, Clara's 1891 Party Dress. Although the dresses are separated by an entire century, many of the major fashion elements of the dresses are similar... the puffy sleeves, the full skirts, the tight bodices and pointed dropped waists. Even the use of lace is paralleled in the two dresses.

The more formal dresses of the late 1980s and early 90s are actually in a romantic style that borrow elements from Victorian styles of the previous century. The romantic style of dress was a sort of reaction to the ripped and sloppy looks of the early 80s.

The lace, puffy sleeves, and ruffles may have been a bit much for the fashion world, and by the end of the 1990s, most styles were pretty casual, and not very extreme.

Clara's dress this week is even more formal than some dresses might be in 1900, since it was intended to be a bridesmaid dress. The original dress is made with a layer of a gauzy peach fabric under a gauzy sheer layer of lacy white.

The original shoes were gold silk, of a shade that would clash with the peach dress. Fortunately, you can select your own colors.  Dyed silk shoes have been poplar for centuries, because they can be dyed the exact color of a dress, making a completely cohesive outfit. Nowadays, matching dyed shoes are usually only worn on very formal occasions like weddings.


To print Clara's dress, use this PDF file:
Clara's Dress 56 (783k)
Clara is a free, printable paper doll. Clara will be available on this blog as long as I continue to post new fashion pages for her. You can read the introduction for the Clara paper doll here.
To print the Clara paper doll, use this PDF file: The Clara Paper Doll (718k)

Empty Pew

To contact us Click HERE
One of our stops on Friday was St. Patrick's Cathedral. Although the very recognizable facade was covered with scaffolding, once inside it seemed all the same. I've been there a couple of times, and I'm always transported back to that June day in 1968 and the funeral of RFK. I looked at the pews and remembered the faces of all the dignitaries seated and kneeling to remember and honor the rising star so senselessly taken. As I sat in a pew this afternoon, I reflected  both on the faces passing and the lines of pews waiting  for the masses. Whether it's the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus, here at the iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral or the simple confines of St. Joseph's, the parish church I grew up in, the seats seem the same and can tell us a lot of the past. They reflect the trials and tribulation of the faces that walk the aisles searching out an empty seat. Give me your tired, your weak, your homeless...

Library Lamp

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Light the way!
I've walked by it a few times but never entered until last week. The New York Public Library is an amazing place. We were only there about 20 minutes, but I was able to take peeks in quite a few rooms. To be perfectly honest, now that I reflect back on it, I do believe the reason we entered this stone edifice was so our ladies might partake in their restroom facilities. Regardless, the trip up those stone steps and through the front doors was worth any hassle we might encounter in the city. What a place!  How much do these huge lamps, scattered about the building, weigh anyway? On our quick visits to various room, I saw few books on tables with patrons, but plenty of technology devices were in evidence. I did catch one elderly gentleman using... you better sit down for this, the card catalog. Of all the places we visited, this is one environment I want to return to and suck up some of the atmosphere. I'm a bookie at heart and proud of it!

That's a Wrap! The Royal Blue Princess Kate Dress

To contact us Click HERE
The Princess Kate Royal Engagement Dress ....
  A fabulous dress for a Princess and those who aspire to be one!  Be a Princess for the day in this gorgeous princess dress. It looks great with or without a Prince on your arm! Timeless, classic and versatile, you can dress this dress up or down with pearls, perhaps a jacket and add a fascinator. I can also guarantee that ours is more affordable!
It can be made matte like our model or a fabric with more shine like the inspiration Princess Kate's Dress. Available in Black, Royal Blue, Dark Blue, Red, White.
Made of a chiffon, satin and jersey.
Available at Get Go Retro.com

Lest We Forget ... in rememberance on Veteran's day

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Rita Hayworth sports a “V” for victory, supporting the troops during WW2
From the words of   Laurence Binyon . . .
They shall grow not old
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

From Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen, written in September 1914  (The full poem, For the Fallen, is printed in both Minds at War and Out of the Dark. Binyon's poem Now in thy Splendour is also printed in Minds at War.)

If You're Happy When You're Cleaning Clap Your Hands!!!

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It's that time of year and I don't know about you but spring cleaning can be the worst!!!  How fun is it to stay inside when the sun is shining and wash your windows or scrub your floors?  Ya...I know.  BUT I have discovered a few fun things that have made my long list of to dos more enjoyable. In fact, do I dare say they have made me happier?
First you must turn on the tunes.  My favorites right now are:
Coldplay
Priscilla Ann
A Fine Frenzy 
Nora Jones

and the best for last:
Kina Grannis
She is my new favorite and who I listen to non stop -thanks to Cortney- which you must look up and buy and memorize and dance to and sing at the top of your lungs while you scrub. She's clean and fresh and soooo adorable in person.  Kinda like how we all want our houses to appear right?  All right. Enough cheesiness.
 Okay so the music is on and your feeling pretty great.  Hopefully it's raining outside, unless of course, you want to open your windows up and let in the sunshine.  In that case it's sunny and brillinat out there. But, don't worry. You're not missing anything because it's still 7 am!!!!!
  Now don't go grabbing your stinky chemical cleaners that you have to use gloves for.  You knwo i don't believe in that  Find some of these AWESOME cleaners and you might just fall in love with cleaning all over again.  Well...maybe not in love but you will love the smells and you'll love the way you feel after their aromatherapiness does it's magic. Plus you'll have a clean house and I know you'll love that.

These first ones are my favorite for in the kitchen.  If you have been following this blog or you know me at all you'll know I am obsessed with lemon.  If my kitchen smells like lemon drops then I am a happy girl.  Plus I found these a Target and who wouldn't pay just a little bit more to be happy while doing a terrible task.
I use this for everything.  My table tops, counters, sinks, appliances...you name it.  In fact I look for things to clean with this stuff because it smells that good!

This other line I discovered a little while ago and have been testing out their different scents.  My favorite for the bathrooms is lavender and for the rest of the house is the Basil.  They are both fresh smelling and have those great aromatheraputic qualities... so don't be surprised if you find yourself grinning from ear to ear while you clean your toilets.

This stuff even comes in a concentrated bottle that you just add a little bit to a whole bunch of water.  I've seen this stuff at TJ Maxx, at Target and Walmart.  Try them.  I think you'll like 'em.
Both brands of product are natural and safe and smell amazing so cheer up and clap your hands.  Cleaning can be fun if you do a little extra something for your house and for yourself every once in a while!

Clean Feels Good, Don't You Think?

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photo creditPhysically, mentally, in any way it comes, clean just feels good.

This has been the center of my thoughts all week. Some mornings I slide out of bed and slowly begin with the daily tasks--breakfast, dishes, laundry, picking up, and more picking up, and more picking up. I stay in my pajamas, throw on an apron, and think that once I've done all the chores, then I will shower and get ready for the day. Sometimes all that picking up can get sweaty, right!?! However, I am so much more motivated to move quickly and get things done AFTER a good shower, when I feel clean and refreshed! Somehow taking care of my body and being clean improves my mental state--it's a wonderful thing!

And then there is the night-time shower. What a beautiful feeling it is to crawl into bed--with newly washed sheets of course--after taking a warm shower. My sleep is so sweet when I go to bed clean.

Now, I am not recommending we all shower twice a day. I am just making note of one thing that can improve practically every aspect of life: CLEANLINESS!

I watched the American Idol finale--did you? Well, I didn't just watch the finale, I watched almost the whole season--almost. And I have to say, there is a stark difference in my mind between the so-called "mentor" of the season (Miss Lady Gaga herself) and the two finalists. Even if you don't like country music and are disappointed with the results of the show, you have to agree that those two young singers are clean. They are young and sweet and eager, and CLEAN! I hope they grow into a stardom that my daughters can enjoy without feeling the dirty and uncomfortable feeling that I had Wednesday night when Lady Gaga performed. I hope I can listen to their music and watch their videos and not have to worry what images might fill my mind. Because clean feels good.

So I'm hoping maybe, just maybe, you've been thinking about our topic along with us all week...and have some of your own thoughts to share about "clean." Link up below (with our faithful Little Shortstacks--thanks for your posts!) and share with us! Just click below--it's easy. And you can add your post up until next Thursday at midnight.

Bloom Where You're Planted (Or Sprout Where You Are)

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Apple blossoms in the backyard!

A few months ago, my daughter found that one of the seeds in the apple she was eating had sprouted. We stared at it in amazement for a little while, then wrapped it loosely in a damp paper towel and set that in an empty yogurt container on the windowsill. And forgot about it. Days and days later my husband happened upon the forgotten seedling and what do you know? It was growing! Obviously, this little plant wanted a chance. So we put some soil into the yogurt container and planted the tiny tree. And it grew and it grew. Reaching for the light outside, it got a little lopsided so we turned it around so it could reach the other way. And it grew and it grew.


Here is our little apple tree last week just before we put it in a bigger pot outside. We didn't really have much hope for it in the beginning, but now I'm looking forward to seeing it become what it was meant to be. And when it gets bigger it probably won't bear tasty fruit (apple trees from seeds don't grow the same apples they came from - weird, huh?), but it's worth giving it a chance, don't you think? You know, just in case.

There's an analogy in there about life and relating to other people and seeing the hidden potential in ourselves. Pick your favorite! It's sure to be delicious (hehe!)

What's your secret?

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OK I need some ideas here.

Let me back up. It's been awhile since I was introduced to a couple of cook books that are all about creative ways to hide vegetables in kids' favorite dishes, and I've tried a good amount of them with success.

I was reluctant at first because I thought, "My kids might not eat many vegetables at first, but I'll keep offering them at mealtimes and eventually they'll try them and decide they like them. If I grind, puree and disguise them in other foods, they'll have a warped sense of what vegetables taste like. They'll think zucchini is supposed to taste like my mom's zucchini brownies or that butternut squash tastes like macaroni and cheese. Then they'll NEVER like them when they find out their green leafy friends really taste like, well, vegetables."

In actuality, I'm the one with a warped sense of reality. The truth is, they each like a few veggies like cucumbers and carrots. But with summer approaching, I'm going to be whipping up all kinds of salads, and I'm not sure how well they're going to go over with the people under 5 years old in the house.

So, what's your secret to hiding a little extra goodness in the meals you make for your family? I've just shared a couple of mine with you (I like to throw in a handful of fresh spinach into our smoothies too), but I'd love to know from you!

Bohemian Bisoux pieces travel with me to Bath and Morgan Bajardi's castle

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Visited:Bath Hungerford castleJamie Oliver
Photos taken by: Morgan Bajardi, Pierre, and myself
On my next trip to Bath we visited Morgan's family castle!Its extra crazy how many important/interesting people she is related to!
The photos speak for themselves I think, but if any questions arise, I will be happy to answer!Although this post has too many pictures already, make sure to check out way more here
Sorry as usual for no posts in months, I am still working on launching my label, which I will bother everyone about soon enough!!
My outfit:
Quilted bed jacket: 1920s from: Bohemian BisouxAssorted gold bracelets: Victorian and EdwardianDress: 1950s cream lace with rhinestone buttons  from: Bohemian BisouxHat: 1940s painted flowers on cream felt.  Cotton netting veiling with saturated pastel colored dotsRabbit pin: 1970s over the shoulder gold with rhinestonesFlower appliques: 1920's pinned on for added appealShoes: Satin ballet flats from primark and I added satin ribbons for more added appeal ;)

Morgan's outfit:
Dress: H&MShoes: TopshopCharm Bracelet: Beautiful family Heirloom