Blogging Event: Posting Spaces Saving Places

The hubby and I are co-presenting at The Saving Places Conference, in Denver, on February 7th.    Our talk is about engaging a new audience in preservation, and using the internet to create a new fan base for mid-century homes and buildings.  I've asked a variety of people  to participate in a blogging event.  On or around the date of the conference, a variety of experts will write something about what preservation means to them, their connections to this period of history, how they are preserving the past, raising interest, or "living it."   I'll also be featuring a guest post written by a popular game designer, Jason Matthews, who designed 1960: The Making of the President and Twilight Struggle (a card driven game about the Cold War).

  A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to be apart of this event!!

My Etsy shop opening

 I purchased a lot of awesome Deadstock vintage from a huge Estate that included several department stores.  The building was literally filled with never worn New Old Stock from the 1940's-70s.  I'll be listing some of that Deadstock, along with some of my own vintage goodies, straight from my closet.  Items I've picked up and love, but just aren't making it into my regular rotation (mainly because they aren't a perfect fit) will be listed in my store.  I've tried to keep my prices really reasonable, to move them as quickly as possible.  Check back frequently over the next week or two as I add new items, including a bunch of cute mid-century children's clothing.

Click the button below:

Happy shopping!!

Resolutions and reflections

  I was looking back at my New Year's Resolutions from last year, and I realized that I only completed 7 out of 10.  I'm really trying to be pleasantly optimistic, so I suppose I should be proud that I persevered on most the list.  The things I didn't accomplish, were all craft/sewing related.  It's not for lack of trying though, my sewing machine "Little Bitch" didn't get that moniker randomly.  It is always breaking down, causing me to cuss, and totally ruining my productivity. This year my goals are a little simpler.  They're designed more to make me feel happier, more fulfilled, instead of a check list of crap I have to do around the house.

 1. First off, I want to read more.  No matter what, I read one book a month because I'm a diligent little book clubber.  I figure two books a month is a pretty attainable goal. Since 2014 has started, I've already read Orange is the New Black (for book club) and Gone Girl (a totally random library selection).  I literally picked up Gone Girl, opened the book randomly, and read my name as the main character finds a phone number (possibly from a stripper) in her husbands pant's pocket.  I figured the universe was giving me a cue.  The first half of the book was probably one of the best character studies on a failed relationship that I've ever read.  Totally funny, irreverent, and relatable...then it turns into a mystery novel.  The book jacket describes it as "unputdownable" which is the stupidest made-up adjective ever, except for the fact that it's true.  
Half of my books will be selected by my book club, but I'd love some suggestions of your favorite books.  Nothing Grandiose, like War and Peace, just literary works that moved you, made you laugh, made you think, etc.  

2. Model for more storyline, artistic type photoshoots.  I have a really fun, board game themed shoot I'd like to do when things start to green up around here.  I'm getting bored with the traditional "outfit posts" I always do, and while they won't totally disappear, I'd like to make them a little more interesting.  For last year's resolutions, we took some quirky family photos which I was hoping to share as a Christmas card.  I'll post them when we get them from the photographer.   It reminded me of the type of  photo shoots that hooked me in the beginning.  They are always quite the production, because they require props, outfit changes, and lots of planning.  Hopefully, I can post the first one by my birthday in March.

3. Travel more!  In 2013, I got my first taste of solo travel since about 2005, when I flew to Portland, OR to officiate one of my best friend's weddings.  This time, I got to surprise my super amazing friend Jenny, for her 30th birthday in Minneapolis, MN.   I absolutely loved the Minneapolis/ St. Paul area.  I was there in September, which meant cardigans, apple picking at an orchard,  sightseeing.. latte in hand, and some really fun vintage shopping.  The culture, the art museums, the architecture make this one of my favorite US cities.  I  would even consider following her out there, if I wasn't afraid my face would freeze off come winter!  My travel plans for 2014 include Philly, PA in July and perhaps Dallas, TX in November if my hubby gets his board game published.

  4. Going back to school in some capacity.  In the "before times" (as in before marriage and children) I was a film major.  sadly, I haven't really made use of it and it's not really a practical career option living in Colorado.  I'd like to enroll in a couple of classes, so that when my youngest finally goes to school full time, I'll be on my way to contributing money to this stone cold pack of weirdos.  I just watched Bridesmaids, can you tell? Help me, I'm poor!

5. Speak at the Saving Places 2014 preservation conference.  Alright, maybe it's cheating to put this on the list because it's not really something I have to "make happen." Rather, it's happening in February, I've already registered to speak, and now I just have to show up, be interesting, and try not to throw up!  Seriously though, I'm sure I will enjoy the experience. Right?

6. More hair pulling, expletive inducing, yet oddly satisfying crafty crap!  I'm just going to move my sewing list from 2013 to 2014 and hopefully a little trip to the repair shop, and Little Bitch will be right as rain.  Just to totally complicate things, I'm going to try to learn to knit.  I've already enrolled in an online knitting class and started a stitch & bitch club to keep up my momentum. 

7. Start another club.  Okay, so let's see...I have a weekly board gaming group, a bookclub, a stitch & bitch club....now let's get to the root of what I really feel like doing after a long week....drinking!  I was thinking of calling it "moms who like wine" and then I realized that alienated some of my friends, so I changed it to "chicks who LOVE wine."  Then I thought, why not call it, "bitches getting drunk," because that is totally an invitation I would respond to.  It's the most inclusive in case guys come and we switch from wine to cocktails.  I am always thinking ahead. Would you come to a club with this name?  I think my friends will ONLY come to a club with his name. 

8.  Be a more positive, kinder, more enlightened person.  Let me just beat you with this giant cliche' of a resolution!  I feel like I started off last year on the right track, and for whatever reason these last couple of months I find myself being cynical, critical, and restless.  One too many articles about Fukushima, dying bee populations, school shootings, etc, etc and I'm feeling like there's not a whole lot of hope for this race of ours.  I'm choosing to unplug for a little while, surround myself with friends, happy music, and maybe a hilarious cat meme or two until I remember all the good and can BE some of the good too.

   Happy 2014 !

It's beginning to look a lot like...

I suppose the one positive thing about this insanely cold weather we've been having, is that it has forced me into the holiday spirit. We put up our 1950's aluminum tree this year and we were able to find a color wheel at an antique store to light it up.  The tree has tiny red and pink metallic ornaments at the tips of the branches, which I think is a bit more rare.  I filled out the rest of the spaces with similar colored Shiny Brites, hand painted glass ornaments, and some quirky vintage handmade ornaments which all either came from antique stores or estate sales.

Hand painted elephant ornament

Framed 50's Christmas typewriter ad

Japanese Santa and reindeer

What about you? Are you feeling the holiday spirit yet? 

Butterflies and Bomb Shelters

The hubby and I wanted to take advantage of the amazing bomb shelter that I put together for the Pueblo Modern Art Show.  We ended up doing two sets of photos; a story line outfit post and a cheesecake pin up shoot.  Sorry, as much as I love you guys, I will not be including the pin-up photos here.  I'm not ready to appear in my peignoir on the interwebz, as classy as (I swear) the photos were.   I'm breaking my 3 picture rule though, because I loved the way the photos turned out.  The photos are lit using only ambient lighting from the lamps, and a tiny bit of natural sunlight that was coming through a floor grate from the second story.  We used no filter, the warmth in the photos is a result of all that "Mamie pink" we painted the walls.  The dress I'm wearing is a 1950's novelty butterfly print with velvet ribbons that I bought from the Robot Exchange a couple of years ago.

Reading a 1950's edition of "How to Have Charm"

Pouring Scotch

This last photo was totally candid.  I was trying to smash my hair back into place and Wade snapped a photo.  I included it because I think I look like a stoic June Cleaver. :)

Happy Sunday!

xox, Hannah

Mad Men Game Night

It's that time of year again, when my hubby packs up and goes to Dallas with a caravan of friends to attend BGG.con, a huge board game convention.  This year he worked the booth for a friend who was selling his game, Dark Horse.  I get little text updates throughout the day, telling me quirky happenings, and about what new game he is playing.  For the last two years, the actor Rich Sommer, who plays Harry Crane on Mad Men, has been in attendance.  I must admit to being super jealous when he sends me pics of the two of them together.  Apparently he's super friendly and agrees to take pics with everyone.

  My husband left on Tuesday, so by Saturday I was pretty desperate for some adult interaction.  It's been snowy and miserable, so I was worried that no one was coming over for our regular Saturday game night.  I sent out messages to all of our regulars, encouraging them to come over and dress 60's for some game night shenanigans.  I think the subtext though was, I'm one night away from running down the street, throwing cats at people. Bat Shit Crazy.  Trapped in a house with four kids and freezing temperatures will do that to you sometimes.  I wanted to send my hubby some shots of all the fun Mad Men game fun we were having.  Fair is Fair. ;)

Playing Notre Dame

Liar's Dice...I think they are on to me

Terrible liar

Busted!

Playing For Sale.  I'm not sure of the context, but I think Juan must have been kicking our asses.

On a side note: Wade and I are going to co-design a board game, and maybe next year I'll get to go to Dallas to help him sell it!

If you are interested, Rich Sommer has a whole blog about his board gaming hobby.  He doesn't post very regularly, but he's insanely funny.  Check it out: here

Happy Sunday! xox, Hannah