Friday, March 29, 2013

Join the Easter Parade!

 

Time for the...

 
 
 
There is only one thing I can think of that is bad about living
in a house full of boys.  Well maybe two. :)
They will not...I repeat NOT... allow me to watch my beloved
MGM musicals of the 1940's & 1950's.
And right now, with all of these cold, snowy, rainy days that have lingered
throughout the month of March,
I am in dire need of some music and COLOR in the form of
Judy Garland & Fred Astaire!
 
 

 
 
How lovely it would be to watch this jewel of a musical and take
an Easter stroll down 5th Avenue with Judy & Fred!
To forget for a moment how hard winter is trying to keep its hold
on us here in Middle Tennessee,
and walk arm in arm with a dapper gentleman, admiring all the
Easter finery as it glides past you on the streets of New York,
and most importantly,
to breathe in the lovliness of Springtime.
Sigh!
 
I realize that I am a good month away from getting my springtime
wish,
but, this year I am quite anxious for warm weather & spring flowers...
and,
I do miss my musicals!
 
Here for your enjoyment is my very own little
Easter Parade...
 


We're off to the Parade!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Hope this has gotten you in the Easter spirit!
Here's wishing you all a
blessed & colorful holiday!

 
 
 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Do You Have Your Easter Bonnet?







This amazingly, beautiful woman was my grandmother.
When I think of her, two things immediately come to mind.
First, that I could easily write an entire blog/book about my
beloved Granny,
and secondly, I realize  just how much like her I am.
She too was a teacher, writer and avid gardener;
had to be working on something all the time
(the woman never sat still!),
loved needlework,  little children and
hats.

Oh... how she loved hats!
No outfit was complete without a matching hat-
there was no telling how many she owned.
In her later years, the task of finding hats for Granny fell
to my mother and aunt.  It was great fun to go with them
on these excursions because we would all get to "model"
 our finds.
Our favorite places to shop for hats in Nashville were
Lovemans, Petway Revis, Rich Schwartz and Harveys
(Harvey's was my favorite as it meant a trip downtown!).


As Easter draws near, thoughts of my Granny and her Easter
bonnets naturally come to mind.
I have a passion for hats as well, not only to wear,
but to use in my numerous creations.

 
I have scads of vintage hats that I have collected over the years
that have graced everything from Santa Clauses, to snow women
and Easter chicks & bunnies.
 

 
 
Just like my Granny,
I just adore beautiful bonnets...
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Here are two of my favorite little lambs,
June & Lucy,
wearing their fashionable spring millenary:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And of course, I can't leave out my most favorite hat of all...
 
 
 
 
 
If my Granny were alive today,
I'm sure she would be pleased to see that hats are indeed
quite the fashion in these parts...
thanks to our very own Steeplechase and the mind blowing
couture seen on Downton Abbey.
I'm envious of the fact that she and her six sisters probably
 wore these heavenly confections as young girls-
What an Easter parade that would have been!
 
I will end today with some special Easter bonnets for you~
antique engravings inspired by the French women
of the 1780's.
 
And to my Granny...
Happy Easter.