All Dolled Up!

Smoke and mirrors!

Hi Girls!  Wow, I am blushing over your very kind comments!  I sure do hope that by posting my photos I was not digging for compliments, that certainly was not my intent but I will gladly and appreciatively take them nonetheless!  Thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart! 
Oh, and I feel I must confess...I wear makeup the consistency of spackle, false eyelashes daily, I color my hair (shhh...don't tell!) and I spend a lot of time roaming the house in pink curlers in an effort to tame my fro-ball!  I just felt like I was cheating, only showing photos of when I am "all dolled up."  If you saw me right now for instance you would want to stage an intervention; seriously, you would! 
On a slightly different note...typepad is driving me NUTS!  I want so badly to comment back to all of you and leave comments on your blogs and grrrr there are those blogs where I have no idea why but I am having trouble leaving comments! 
So, dearest Jennie from Falling Down the Rabbit Hole, I adore your blog and I so appreciate your visiting mine!  Every time I visit, that sweet photo of you as a tot in your side bar just melts my heart!   
Vicki, from Hollyhocks, your blog is another one of my favorites and some days typepad will let me leave a comment and other days it won't except my email.  But I so want to send you my very best wishes and support! 
And Michelle from the Red Velvet Shoe, you are such a glamour girl, so very inspiring to me! 
If you haven't visited Jennifer over at her still rather new blog, A Hoot and a Holler, please do!  They are the cutest little family and I am so smitten with her little girls!  Just the cutest! 
I know that whether or not I leave comments on others' blogs is realistically probably of little or no consequence to the would be comment recipient but nonetheless, not being able to on some blogs is driving me a little cuckoo so I just thought I would at least extend my appreciation here! 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

As I have rambled about before, I am decorating our house.  Very, very slowly I might add!  It is my goal to buy only vintage (recycled) furnishings.  But when it comes to art, Richard and I decided we could splurge on one special piece that could really set the tone for the rest of our decor.  Holy moly!  Am I naive or what!  Good art is darn expensive!  As it should be of course once I think about it, I guess I just never thought about it!  I just have to share some of the artists I have discovered via cottagechicstore.com.  I'd have to sell an organ to be able to afford any of it right now but they are so spirited and happy and just what I have been looking for (minus the price tag!) 

These are by an artist named Kyle (no last name, just Kyle, kind of like Cher I guess. ;) 

And these are Catherine Elizabeth Morris.  Lovely!

I am off to finish painting the family room a color my husband calls "happy green." 
Have a lovely weekend! 

All Dolled Up!

Hi! 
Lately, the only photos I have of myself consist of me in my bathrobe holding my dog.  Um...yeah...great for the personal family album but not so good for the blog.  Besides, I think about when I am old and I want to show my grand kiddies what I looked like before everything headed south and the middle age spread hit.  I don't want the only photos of me in my thirties to be either bent over in the veggie patch or in my bathrobe and bunny slippers.  So, I took matters into my own hands and attempted a self portrait while sitting in the car in front of our house waiting for DH to get the directions to the party we were headed to. 
I forgot to take off my seat belt but at least I cropped out the neighbor's garage contents.  Like I was sayin...this was very impromptu! 
Here goes...
This is me girls.  Christina (aka Cece) Van Doren age 32 sitting in my driveway. 
 
My attempts at looking glamorous resulted in looking like something was stinky. 
So, I opted for a more "natural" expression.

Posting photos of my smiling mug on my blog is a challenge of sorts for me.  Granted, I know I am not a total "mud fence" or anything but like many women, I am my own harshest critic.  As the years go by though, ironically, as I start to look older I simultaneously start to feel more confident.  Maybe confidence is the wrong word, I think it might be self acceptance.  I joke that my legs are meant to be plowing fields.  Long and lanky I am not! But hey, it is what it is.  I'm just going to take good care of my farm girl legs and if I want to show them off in all their glory, darn it, I'm going to.  I am thinking of challenging myself to post more photos of myself here on my blog.  I by no means have a model figure but I am really trying to just focus on my health and accept me for who I am.  And ya know, I want to see your pretty selves too.  We may not be supermodels but we are real women leading real lives and we should not be shy about it!  I want to see you too! 

Ok, I will get off my soap box for now.

On an all together different note...my friend Karen and I had a blast at the Alameda Antique Fair.  I wish I had taken more photos.  I kind of go into sensory overload mode when I am there so I sort of forgot.  But!  Lookie what I bought!  (drum roll please!)

The photo is not doing our new chandelier justice.  It is sooo darn cute!  (Hubby...it isn't really "cute" what I meant to say is that it is cool, and um...modern, yeah...that's it, cool and modern.)  Oh, dear...poor Hubby.  He married such a girl!  This chandelier is going to look so incredibly perfect in our dining room!  To heck with a super formal dining room I say.  I mean really, who are we kidding?  The last few holidays I have served food barefoot for goodness sake!  So, our dining room is slowly morphing into a cozy, sunshiny, and family-ish space.  And now it is going to have a daisy light fixture!  Yippee! 

If we had a little girl I would have snatched this up in a heart beat! 
How cute is this vintage trunk? 

I have always wanted a vintage trunk.  Even when I was a little girl I wanted a trunk.  I have this romantic (and inflated, I'm sure!) vision of a girl accumulating her cherished lifelong mementos in an old trunk.  Especially a trunk with little dutch girls and daisies!  ***sigh***

I wanted to take this puppy portrait home but alas, I settled for a photo of it.  I thought it might offend Poppy Flower and Ginger.  They are not white and fluffy like this dear girl so I would feel guilty.  I don't want to make my little pound puppies jealous!

I want to share photos of my other flea market purchases but I think I will wait for another day as I have already rambled enough for one day, for sure! 

Have a lovely day girls! 

Candy Colors

Wow, as I am about to write a post about the contents of my purse it just occurred to me that really, I should get a life.  Oh, dear.  I can see it now...some day when we have children how they will roll their eyes and frown when their mother takes to doing things like showing the world her purse contents.
But, my little purse contents bring me so much happiness!  Silly I know but really it is true!  The other day a friend (who was carrying a black purse with all black contents while dressed all in black making me feel like I had dressed up like an Easter Egg or perhaps a cupcake or no, a pinata!) commented that my purse looks like a candy store!  "Why thank you!"  I replied! 

Let's see...we have my pleather (yep!  I proudly said pleather!  I don't do leather...the whole dead animal thing just creeps me out!) aqua organizer, which is disorganized I might add. 
My pink pleather wallet with bright orange lining purchased by DH in New York. 
A tissue cozy made by yours truly. 
A trusty pony tie also made by yours truly. 
My Cath Kidston pink ticking makeup bag, much loved and much used!
A petite hairbrush purchased for its cute color and rarely used although admittedly it should be! 
My lip balm shaped like a strawberry cupcake originally purchased for my 6 year old niece but then I couldn't bear to give it away.  (she'll never know! ;)
Vintage cigarette case used as a business card holder.
My pretty daily journal that I don't write in daily as intended...but I am trying! 
Little pad of paper again purchased primarily for cuteness, hey it is yellow gingham, how could I not buy it! 
Stinky lotion given to me by Santa...at least it is a pretty color. 
Pewter heart key chain that I bought for myself to celebrate passing my driving test when I was 16. 
And last but not least my keychain with my gym pass which I am determined to use with more frequency, a Tiffany's heart (given to me by a creepy guy in college but hey...it is a nice keychain so what the heck!)  And a little Eiffel Tower keychain ironically purchased in New York because I couldn't find one in Paris. 
Phew!  Well wasn't that exciting! 
I couldn't resist girls!  Thanks for bearing with me! 
;) Cece

Just chuggin along...

Hi Girls! I've just been chuggin along, working on misc. household projects. Painting the family room and kitchen and planting flowers in the front yard. I didn't make it through last weekend without sewing like I had planned. Ce la vie! It's all good. At least when I am sewing it is a opportunity really to just sit and relax and once I have a pattern down pat I just kind of space out really. So, my hands may be sewing but I am off in la la land. With many projects in the works, I look forward to having lots to show and tell soon!
Oh, and this Sunday, my dear dear friend Karen and I are going to the Alameda Antique Fair! I'm so excited you'd think we were going to prom or something!
Well, every blog post deserves a cute picture so here it is!

I can not take any credit for these adorable little bags. They were handmade in Nepal and I found them at Craftsbury Kids.
On our honeymoon in France I saw little bags that I think were just like these cuties. I've still been dreaming of them 3 years later! Very tempting!
Happy Friday everyone!

One out of nine

Thank you for all the kindness regarding my last post.  I was quite the grumpy pants wasn't I!  Well, I just let it all hang out here at "All Dolled Up."  Ironic given the title of my blog!   
Anyhoo...it occurred to me the other day that I am basically, "merchandising" my house.  You see...I worked in retail for farrr too long and I was a merchandiser.  I think that mindset is forever ingrained in my brain as I take over what should be functional spaces and "merch" them with totally nonfunctional tidbits.  Poor Hubby, only one out of nine items on the kitchen counter is functional.  Can you guess which one? 
It's the little aqua sugar bowl.  And my dear Richard doesn't even use sugar. (He's sweet enough already.)   
But at least he can find solace (yeah right ;) in knowing that our kitchen counter always looks cute.

   

Happy Friday everyone! 
Guess what I'm doing this weekend?  Not working, that's what!  For me that is quite exciting.  I may be scrubbing the floor or working in the yard but I am not going near that sewing machine for a full 48 hours.  Well, that is the plan anyways.  We'll see if I can make it. 

Bee in my bonnet

Girls, there is a bee in my bonnet. Boy oh boy having your own business is rewarding and all but yow-za it can be frustrating! I've been interviewing a bevy of seamstresses; some good some where I'm like, "is this a joke? Where is candid camera?" But! I am determined! The economy is in the tank, I'm having a heck of a time coming up with a line that is true to my aesthetic and can still be produced locally and ethically while being viable for wholesale so I can grow beyond just doing shows. My wrist is throbbing from having cut out far to many aprons this week. But! Despite all of this...I am charging through! Darn it...I am going to make it...I have to! Gone too far to turn back now! Oy vay. I'm sitting here pondering my plan while waiting for my tea kettle to whistle for my belated morning tea.

Sorry my feathers are so ruffled today. But they are ruffled in a good way because it is spurring me into action!

Happy Monday everyone!

Fluffy Girl

On Sunday after the farmers market my mom and I went to one of our favorite vintage shops. I purchased a few little bits of vintage fabric to incorporate in some bag designs I have in mind. And than I happened upon this sweetie. Isn't she lovely! Like many of you gals out there in blogland I collect vintage cards and Valentine's Day cards are my favorite! I love that she is on the phone and the little phone cord is still in tact. She's so pretty, I want to look like her! And I want her dress too! (I'm such a little girl at heart!)
This morning, while putting her on display in my sewing room I noticed that on the back it reads, "To our Fluffy Girl. Love, Mommy and Daddy" Isn't that the sweetest! It just conjures up such an image for me of this darling girl in the 1940's and her loving Mom who purchased this card because it made her think of her "Fluffy Girl." What a nickname! I confess...I would love it if my family nickname was Fluffy Girl! It would be quite fitting really. Alas, my family nickname is...Snicklefritzee. I know..."special" name right! Snicklefritzee does not have the same lovely connotation as Fluffy Girl but that is okay. I will always be my Daddy's Snicklefritzee!

Phew!  I made it and it wasn't so bad after all!  I did back-to-back events this weekend.  Saturday I was at the Grand Lake Oakland Market and on Sunday I was at my usual Marin Civic Center Farmers Market. 

 

Poor girl in the middle is topless!  She's feeling quite bashful!  But not for long!  I am planning on making some of my favorite little summer tops.  Sweet little peasant blouses, so girly, comfy, and cool on a hot day. 

My little business pretty much exhausted the whole weekend so not much time to hang out with Sweet Hubby.  But at least last weekend we had lots of fun.  We went up to Sonoma in the wine country.  Sonoma is a darling town and it is such a picturesque drive from our little Benicia up to the wine country. 

As you drive into town, first you see the downtown square. 

We walked around holding hands, had the best vegetarian sandwiches we've ever had, and just generally relaxed and enjoyed each other's company. 

The ride home was so so picturesque and I kept squealing as we would drive by the prettiest meadows ever.  Finally Richard asked what all the squealing was about and I told him that I wished so much I could take photos of these perfect red barns, rolling hills, and little ponds with geese that we were passing by.  So, he said to give him as much notice as possible and he would try and pull over so I could take photos.  My poor patient hubby, I would squeal at a delightful view and he would try and pull over but the view had basically passed but I was so appreciative of his trying that I would get out and take a photo anyways.
So, here is a mediocre photo of an otherwise beautiful area which required my standing on the side of the road with my dress and hair whirling about in the wind while big trucks noisily rumbled by. 

And here are some little sheep.  These are the dirty and disgruntled cousins of the pristine white fluffy sheep we had already passed before Richard could pull over.  So, with Richard waiting in the car I stood there with my camera for what felt like forever trying to convince the girls to turn around and give me some nice profile and front views.  They were not listening as I was trying to explain to them that their rear view really is not their best angle.  Not wanting to just take a photo of sheep fannies and feeling quite determined I waited and finally a couple of them obliged and turned around for me.  Thank you girls!
After all that, this is a pitiful photo but I worked for it so darn it, I'm going to show it anyways.  ;)

Oh, and I almost forgot!  Chateau Sonoma!  Thank goodness I remembered, I can't have my last photo on my blog post be of sheep fannies...geez!  We drove past this delightful shop, Chateau Sonoma and I let out quite a gasp. 

Richard, knowing a gasp like that could only mean trouble, completely ignored the gasp and kept on driving.  But! then he realized he was driving the wrong way!  Oh, darn!  So, of course I said, "Oh, we will be driving by that delightful shop again.  Can I stop to take a quick peek?"  Poor sweet obliging hubby knew that yes was the only answer so he waited in the car as his delighted wife scampered into Francophile heaven. 

If you adore all things French as I do, you must, I insist! visit Chateau Sonoma.  Ooh la la!
Au revoir!      

I'm feeling kinda proud!

Hello!  I haven't blogged in almost a week and I'm surprised by just how much I miss it!  It has been super busy around here but I just thought I'd pop in for a quick "Hello!" 
So, I posted an ad on craigslist for a seamstress to help me out with my little business.  Wow, I have had so many responses it has been overwhelming.  It has helped to open my eyes to how many women in my immediate area could use a little supplementary income.  And then that gets me to thinking about all of the greedy manufacturers who go overseas for production just to save money while simultaneously taking advantage of a population that will work for sadly, so so little.  Right here in suburbia there are retired women, stay at home moms, caretakers, and even women with full-time jobs who would really benefit from a little extra money each month and an opportunity for creating an income while working from home.  I wish I could hire them all! 
I love my little business but I have moments where I ask myself why the heck am I doing this?  I even have moments where I would like to throw in the towel all together. 
The opportunity to create jobs, even just a little part time job, for a couple of local women has me feeling so honored and excited that I think it is giving me a much needed sense of purpose to continue on this little entrepreneurial journey. 
Perhaps I am gloating.  I am not usually a gloater at all, quite the opposite actually but this has put much needed wind in my sails and dare I say...I am feeling quite proud. 
Happy Friday everyone! 
I am going to be working back-to-back events this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday.  I'll be back with photos to share on Monday. 
Thank you for visiting!  Cece 

Fancy Nancy

So, yesterday when I should have been home working I went on a little one hour drive to Hillsborough to get "the chairs!"  Yep, I went and got those $65 French made ladder back chairs that I had found on craigslist that I made a big fuss over in my last post.  Craigslist rocks by the way.  I purchased our dining room table via craigslist last month. 
I had heard of Hillsborough but knew nothing about it.  So, without any preconceived notions, driving along to get my new chairs, I start driving by homes like this. 

And then this nice little house...holy smokes!  Total Daddy Warbucks house, right?! 

When you buy some chairs on craigslist from an estate in a town you have never been to and this is the driveway you pull up to, it is a very good sign.

Um, yeah...not too shabby.  I felt like such a bumpkin.  I mean, I grew up in a very nice area but lets just say we did not have a live in gardener and the butler was nowhere to be found!

The homeowner, Nancy (who I referred to as Fancy Nancy in my head) was so nonchalant and nice.  Why was she even bothering with selling chairs for $65 a pop?  Who knows, but I scored that's all I know!   

What an adventure!  And, to top it all off, there was an estate sale going on next door! 

I really wish I had taken photos of the home hosting the estate sale but I was feeling way too sheepish with people everywhere.  I already felt like such a bottom feeder. 

The stuff was amazing.  Too amazing in fact because I couldn't even afford their estate sale prices.  I did however find some goodies in the garage where they had left things that they were probably going to donate.  I got a few pieces of milk glass, some vintage linens, and these cuties. 

Darling 1960's nursery wall decor!  Now all I need is a baby! 

After all of my huffing and puffing about it, I'm sorry I am not showing a photo of the chairs.  I want to wait until the dining room is all fluffed, buffed, and shined and presently it is anything but.  But, soon very soon, promise!