Hello World, It's Me

I have decided to dedicate this blog to my love of things vintage. So many people are surprised when I tell them not only do I not wear true vintage clothes, mostly because it would crush me if I ruined them, but also because at 5 foot 9 inches I am too tall for most vintage items.  Friends and family have been suggesting for a while that I start this blog so here goes.

Some quick background I am half Cuban and half Norwegian (mostly on that second half like most Americans nothing is that clear cut). I am a proud Navy wife, and enjoy ever minute of supporting my fly boy, we are also newlyweds. I hold two college level degrees a BA Liberal Arts with concentrations in Elementary Education and Special Education, and a MAT in Elementary and Special Education both of which I earned by the age of 23 (my masters graduation was on my 23rd birthday). I thought sever and pervasive high school special education for 2 years. It was not for me, I was very unhappy most of the time.  I am now a housewife ( a very vintage one). Not only do I keep house and cook dinner most night, I also paint (oil on canvas), draw, sew ( dresses, quilts, purses, and random items for our home), and I also decorate and maintain the integrity of our 1925 home. That last one with the help of my husband of course. I this blog I will talk about my different sewing projects, the process of maintaining the historical integrity of our home while keeping it modern, my vintage style that is always made up of modern clothing, and of course vintage hair and makeup.

Rita Hayworth circa 1945

And finally you may what to know about how my love of vintage began. When I was little I used to love looking at old family photos, that my father's family had managed to bring over from Cuba. But it all really first started when I was 11 or 12, in my home town of Frederick, MD there was and annual dance called "Home For The Holidays" it was a WWII themed party and people would line up for hours waiting for tickets, well somehow my parents managed to get my very under aged behind into that dance and it lit the flame of my love for things vintage. The dance was full of men and women dressed in vintage and reproduction uniforms and formal wear it was like something out of a dream, or a movie, like stepping back in time, it was absolutely magical. And the entertainment well they were out of this world, every year at that dance the city had Doc Scantlin and his Imperial Palm Orchestra come to preform, and let me tell you they didn't miss a beat, every thing from each hair on their heads to the soles of their shoes was spot of to the period. Then only a year later one of my mother's friends was looking at me (wearing my hair in my attempt a vintage) and our of nowhere said "you look like Rita Hayworth". At the time I didn't know who she was so I did some research and sure enough there was some resemblance, and this lovely lady rapidly became my vintage style icon, and favorite actress.

So the vintage thing grew even though most people my age thought it was just weird that I liked "old stuff" my family encouraged me to march to the beat of my own drum. Vintage became my go to look for anything dressy. I will admit looking back I wasn't all that great at it, but what teenager is. By the time I was in college I decorated mostly with vintage themed items but still only ventured out in my vintage look for special events.  I wasn't until my love was stationed in Japan for 3 years and I decided to make a pin up calender of myself for him that I began to get the courage to venture out in vintage attire. To make the calender I found the talented Stacey Barich of Atomic Cheesecake Studios. While she was doing my hair and make up I mused that I wished I could look  like this every day, she looked me dead in the face and with all seriousness said "Why can't you?" and in that moment it clicked. I joined the Fedora Lounge, a forum for people who love vintage things and I started going vintage more and more. Now it has become just how I look and dress, and it surprises many of my friends when they see me in modern attire. So welcome to my crazy vintage world, I think you'll like it here.