Rick power washed all the winter grime from the front porch yesterday. Living on a busy street creates tons of dirt.  I know it’s not officially Spring yet but thats where my head is at and I spent a few hours decorating the front porch and the little backyard seating area under our balcony.

The theme this year for the back garden is red as you can see from the pictures.  Soon my red tulips will be coming up. I plan to plant a lot of red geraniums and petunias in all my containers.  I have all kinds of perrenials and flowering shrubs.

The front garden and porch are pink this year. There are already a lot of pink and purple perrenials out there ready to come up and I will be planting coleus and pink begonias.

Except for a few purchases from the Christmas tree store(they are selling spring things now) I have been gathering things from around the house and collecting things from thrift shops in the past few weeks.   Some of the chair pads are covered in old table cloths and duck taped in back.  This project was all make- do and little money spent.  I look forward to warmer weather when I can add real plants to the porch and fill the hanging baskets and planters.

Happy first day of March tomorrow!

Today I am making the best of it and working on my netbook in my sunroom.  I love this room and it’s probably the main reason I wanted the house in spite of its then run-down condition.  Our victorian house is not very sunny so being able to have plants and light is great. My African grey, McBeth lives in this space and as I write the dogs are snoozing on the wicker sofa. Here are some photos to get you in the spring/gardening mood.

I’ve been without my car this week as it was undergoing major(expensive) repairs. So today I tired of this house arrest and spent a few hours walking about our small town, Red Lion, PA.

Rick and I both grew up in the area but spent over 25 years living  in other states, including MN.,MD.. and Illinois. for Rick’s career.

When we were young we were desperate to leave small town life and experience other places. So we packed up our baby son and were off ! I regret nothing and It was so good for us.  Somehow, after the children were grown we found ourselves drawn back to home.  Life is different when you hit 50 and a slower pace life looked great.  York County is one of the most beautiful areas of the country- when we were young we were too boneheaded to see that.

We ended up in Red Lion because we found an old  Victorian house cheap that was sorely in need of restoration. We bought it from a young couple who had started working on it and we just picked up where they left off.  4 years of work, sweat and every spare cent we are pretty proud of our home. We replaced moldings, installed  antique light fixtures, removed miles of dropped ceilings, repaired plaster, installed a period senstive bath and kitchen, painted miles of walls and trim, outside painting, and created a garden with fish pond.  Tons more to do but that is the nature of reviving a victorian–it’s not just a house, it’s a lifestyle.

The best part is all the great folks we have met, small business owners,and neighbors.  We have been invvolved with local govt.  Like many small towns on the northeast coast  we are a town that struggles. Red Lion was incorporated after the civil war and was extremely successful manufacturing cigars and furniture, up and down the streets you can see the old tobacco factories now made into apt buildings and such.  During those days a lot of money was made and some beautiful homes were built.

That heyday has passed and Red Lion has struggled to find a new idenity. We have a cute main street and many have started businesses. We do have empty store fronts, and are supportive of new businesses. The housing stock is amazing- a virtual treasure trove of Victorian architecture. of all sizes and prices.  Many people have fixed up properties and they are beautiful.  Many more are crying to be saved.  With the housing market crash, all properties are a real buy, if you can afford to invest. There are so many people here who care about the  town and work constantly to improve. it.

I took pictures within a 2 block radious of our house- I live near the square.

My apologies to all the businesses I missed, we have a lot of great places, I also didn’t make it to our great park, library, or high school.  This is just a little overview of our town that I have come to love and consider my forever home at this point.

Just a few updates-  5o’s dance has been moved to sept, I’ll keep you posted as soon as I know something.

Shop will open next Wed the 19th as usual, I’m returning tues. night.  my friend julie is graciously taking care of the homestead and pets.

May’s contest continues.  Send in a pic or bring one of yourself dress in some vintage clothing or accessories bought at VJ or elsewhere and recieve 20% off your purchases that day.  at the end of the month i will pick a winner and there are going to be some fab prizes including gift certificates.  All pictures are going to be posted, i’ve already started on the facebook page.

I finished sewing my red rose dress today from the 1957 pattern.  I wore it with modern peep toe pumps I got from penneys a few years ago. They look so vintage, you can’t tell!  Sunglasses, bead necklace and bracelet- all vintage 5o’s.  The red crinoline is enormass with many layers- looks great but not for everyday! Scratchy!!

The navy blue dress is a vintage early 1960′s shirt dress made of lightweight poly with polka dots.  I wore it with a netted navy blue circle hat (50′s) and a 60′s enamel flower pin and pink beaded 50′s coil bracelet. Shoes, belt and hoop earrings are modern with vintage flair.  I hope this inspires you to send pictures in.  If my aged, chubby little self can have fun doing this– so can you my lovely vintage lovers!

I’ve had this stash of vintage 50′s dress patterns in my size for a while now.  One has to go strictly by measurements, not size, on vintage patterns as well as clothing.   I generally wear a plus 16 in modern sizes but need a 40 bust in vintage patterns which is a size 20-22. I finally got around to doing some sewing this week. I was inspired by reading several of my fav. vintage blogs.

I am making 2 dresses from the same pattern to start.  I finished the first one yesterday. The dress is a self belted casual day dress with round neckline, loose half sleeves and a gored skirt with big pockets.  The completed dress is sewn from some 60 yr. old fabric I had from my grandmother who was a hoarder of fabric. Blue cotton with blue roses.  A casual day dress, suitable for marketing or daytime errands.

I have the second dress cut out and ready to go.  I am using a red rose print.  I started with one of the more simple patterns as I am a little out of practice.   The next pattern I want to tackle is a sailor dress in navy poplin with white yoke and red trim!!

Had an unpleasant incident involving a pair of capri jeans in a dressing room at Target yesterday.   I had to pause and practice what I was preaching in that last body size issue blog I did.   Along the lines of “you are not the sum total of your butt size”  Actually I am an “apple” and its my midsection, not my derriere. Sigh.  I didn’t say it was easy everyday.

I am actively trying to shed at least 20 lbs. as I have high blood pressure and my blood sugar is inching upwards.  I threw out any junk in the house and am committed to eating more unproccessed food.  Cutting junk carbs usually helps me.  And I am walking as about the only form of exercize my back tolerates.  No, hunched over my new notebook lapbook doesn’t qualify or I’d look like Audry Hepburn.

Still organizing my personal closet and dressing room and trying to dress more vintage.  Wearing all the cool jewelry I have and  wearing more dresses and skirts.  Thats me- overdressed for every occasion but I like it.  Like to look like a lady even though I’m no priss.  I’ve also been using some of the totally cool handbags I have collected.  Rick is in the process of putting a new chain handle on a leather and real zebra hide 50′s bag I have that was made in Paris.  Can’t get THAT at Walmart!

I’ll post details as they are confirmed.  If you want to help in any way, we would love to have you!!!!  I’d love to get some high school students involved.  I’m already planning what to wear.  And please, someone come over here and teach me how to dance!

So yes, I have to be careful, not to overbuy for the shop.  Our living space on the top 2 floors of our Victorian house are chock full. Not like the shop, but PLENTY of victorian stuff.  I have to question all purchases at this point and usually have to sell something to make room for a new item.  My home is very attractive and cozy, very full though.  I will fight like hell not to EVER let this stuff become more important than family and friends.  The whole crew is coming for Easter and there is plenty of room to entertain in our parlour, dining room and kitchen.  People seem to love coming here and enjoy all the antiques  and I want to keep it that way!!!

Anyhow after watching an episode of Hoaders, I usually go on a cleaning, and purging mission, and let go of quite a few bags of no longer useful items…  I’ll confesst though, if any one really knew how many shoes I really have squirred away upstairs they would be horrified.

So please feel free to comment and share your own stories and to give me any advice you want in how you deal with this topic. Cheers my little vintage vixens, love JoAnn

Ziggy will also be suitably attired and so will I of course.  Let’s have fun!