7-27-11: Heat Advisory Fashion

 

7-4-11: America's Birthday Presents To Me

One complete and one partial set of wooden type - best buy of the day @ $30 for a filthy old, moldy, musty shoe box full. I wasn't sure if there was a full set when I bought it, but I was elated to uncover this woody gem! This is the Holy Grail of finds! I am stoked to use these in my little tabletop press.

Art Nouveau gold locket with bat motif on front and tattered photo of young girl inside. BATS!!! I am sure there is a  symbolic meaning in the bat image - most likely longevity or good luck as in Eastern culture (Art Nouveau artists borrowed liberally from Japanese artists). Look at the sweet, little bats with their wide crotches and stick legs - how could I resist? 

Isn't it about time a had my own vintage rhinestone tiara? I admit that I tend to Queen around a little tidbit at times. This sweet, sweet baby shines like the night sky and may have caused a few cases of whiplash as I swanned around in it. Richard Burton's ghost came to me in a waking dream, called me "Liz" and served me an ice cold martini with three blue cheese stuffed olives.

Cut beads of turquoise on string for an as of yet undecided jewelry making project. Note: the vendor selling these had one of those terribly thick Southern accents that I absolutely cannot understand. He must have thought I was simple as I was using my digits sign language style to discern the price he quoted from his mush mouth. He MAY have been one of those swamp people you here tell about.

A little fourth of July shoegazing with a very special pedicure from Secret Nails (Shhhh!) - there are little hibiscus flowers on my big toes! I have developed a new love for nail art!

6-6-11: A Drive Thru Rural Iowa (Deep River & Surrounding)

Sketchbook: Ideas for Les Dames du Burlesque// de Iowa City Photo Shoot

A sneak peak into my sketchbook ideas for the Les Dames du Burlesque de Iowa City photo shoot! We have three looks planned: 1970's Asphalt Jungle Playground Sexy Babies, Rock Me Amadeus Mozart/Bowie Sexy Salon, WWII War Bride at the Train Depot.


The talented team:
Dawn Frary of Dewey Street Photo Company - Photographer
Tonya Kehoe of Glitter Mafia - Styling, Make-up
Sorayah Hamilton - Hair
Spencer Lundquist - Hair, Pocket Gay
Me - Photographer (tentative: playground, schedules and weather permitting), Styling, Make-up

George's Letters: 12-8-1942

Tues December 8, 1942
Tuesday Evening


Darling George,
   
   Hi, Sweetheart! How goes it? Better than it does here with me, I hope! I’m in bed right now with a heck of a cold and a slight touch of the flu. I went from work over to the doctor and he sent me home to go to bed in order to save me from having pneumonia in the morning. The cold feels like it is on my chest or else it is going down there fast, anyhow, when my mother gets through with me tonite there won’t be any chance for a cold to hang around me.
   My nose is so darned sore it is going to get up and walk off my face if I have to blow it much more. Well, anyhow, I’ve got to be all over this cold by Thursday of this week because I have to sing a solo, “The Birthday of a King”, for the Cedar Rebecca Lodge. I sang the same solo for church last Sunday. Everybody said it sounded swell, so I guess it will be all right for Thursday nite. Well, so much for that!
   You should be here with me. I’m in bed on the davenport downstairs (the davenport unfolds into a bed). I’ve got a pound box of miniature chocolates setting beside me, so I guess I’ll be filled up for a while. You should really have some, they are really good! No kiddin’! Either! My six yr old brother is laying here beside me and he also has a heck of a cold and he was home all day from school, however, he is sound asleep now.
   I went up to danceland last nite and heard and danced to (or tried to), Alvin Rey’s orchestra. They were really good and that place was just packed. Those King sisters are a scream. The whole darned orchestra was a riot. I’m getting so I don’t give a darn about going up there or any place else either! I sure wish you were here so I could enjoy myself again for a change. No kiddin’! I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed myself as much as I did those two nites I was with you. I’m not foolin’ one bit either!
   I went over yesterday and put my application in for work at Collin’s radio plant. My interview is dated for next Monday morning. I sure hope they put me on out there. It will be so much better than working at the dime store.
   Whoops! I had to stop and take a whiff of this “Vick’s inhaler”. My nose is all stopped up and so is my head. Of course, my head could be stopped up and it wouldn’t hurt anything else as there isn’t anything in there that works anyhow so it can’t hurt anything by being stopped up. Gee, my eyes hurt so bad I can hardly see, so I guess I’ll have to stop this and get it ready to mail. 
   Don’t forget to write an answer to these letters, little one. I haven’t had a letter from you for a week now.
   Got to go now. See you later! (I really mean it!)


Lots of love & Kisses,
Ethella

George's Letters: 12-2-1942

Historical Background: This is the first letter in a series written to George E. Barghart while he was serving in the Navy stationed on the U.S.S. Token during World War II. The U.S.S. Token (AM 126) was an Auk-class minesweeper launched on March 28, 1942 and commissioned on December 31, 1942.

The Letter Writer:

Miss Ethella Murphy - George’s sweetheart. A resident of his hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA. She is no older than sixteen when she writes her first letter to George.

Until noted otherwise letters to George are addressed as follows:

George E. Barghart S 1/C U.S.N.R.

U.S.S. Token Gulf Shipbuilding Corp.

Chickasaw, Alabama

Personal Note: These letters were brought into the consignment shop were I work, thrown in with a bunch of misc paperwork, cards, etc. Clearly I was under a sentimental duty to gather and organize all of George's letters and keep them safe. I cannot bear to see a handwritten letter tossed in with the rubbish - esp a love letter! I will be reading and transcribing these letters as I post them here so we can undergo George's journey together. I already feel an affinity for George, don't you? 

December 2, 1942

Wednesday Evening

Dear George,

   I get started on this letter, then I have to stop and listen to the radio and within the next two hours maybe I’ll get this letter written to you. Oh happy day!

   I got your letter tonite when I got home from work and I had to read it before I even got my wraps off and I just stood and laughed. I certainly did enjoy it a whole lot!

   What were you so surprised at; about me writing? I’ll have you know when I make a promise I certainly try to keep it, if I have to bust doing it!!!!

   “Butterflies in my tummy” means that I have a funny feeling in my tummy and usually something good happens. Every once in a while, though it happens the other way.

   What do you mean, “you feel flattered, you didn’t think anybody would miss you”. If I had you right here now, I certainly would show you how I miss you! No foolin’ either!!!

   Yes, I thought of the idea of sending you home “C.O.D.”! I do have some very good ideas one in a while! Believe it or not! (You should know!) What I intend to “Collect on Delivery” is to be kept a secret until you come back home to me! Is that all right! Will you be willing to wait? And find out?

   Honestly, little one, if you didn’t believe me about my missing you, when I write and tell you in every letter, I don’t know how I’m ever going to put it across to you! Please believe me! And I wasn’t drinking anything at all, I was sitting up in my own bedroom with Grandma and she is enough to make anybody feel good without anything to drink. And what I told you wasn’t any line that I landed you, as you say, it was the very truth.

   If every thing happens all right you will get a picture of me for Xmas. I’ll bet you have a lot of rats you want to get rid of!

   You know gas rationing has gave in, and besides it is darn cold walking a mile and a half home from town when it gets down to 10 degrees below zero. No kidding either! And besides, as I told you before, there isn’t anybody here I care to go out with or go home with! I guess I’m just too darned particular about the fellows that are left here at home.

   I have my washing all done, and I’ve only got four more letters to write and my hair to fix, but ah heck I’ll still be home for two more nites this week. (no dances)

   I’m glad all of these letters aren’t boring, I certainly don’t want them to be! You’re darned right about seeing you later. How do you know I can’t read between the lines of your letter to tell your thoughts, you know I still have the very lovely memories of our last nite together! And I’ll never forget it either!

   Now for some news around here. My oldest brother (17yrs) bought me a pair of black rubber boots, a pair of red fur bedroom slippers and a long sleeved powder blue wool sweater! Boy, was I tickled! I got myself a real nice fountain pen and an ever sharp to match. You see the whole family had been hollering at me for some time about buying a fountain pen because I was always using everybody else’s. Now, I have my own so they haven’t anything to gripe about now!

   Say, I’m running out of space and time, so I guess I’ll have to stop this for now and tell you that I’ll be thinking of you always.

   Thanks for the kiss, darling. I certainly need it. Heck, do I just get one? I certainly wish you were here to deliver it and many more. 

All of my family is o.k. and will be from now on I hope.

   We had a real nice Thanksgiving and a white one too! We still have snow and this morning I went to work in 10 degrees below zero weather. Boy, was it cold! It is getting colder too. But I like it very much.

   Well, my mother and one of the neighbor ladies just came home from decorating their booth for the bazaar at the church tomorrow nite. They say it is cold out doors, I wonder now?

   Well, little one, it is 9:10pm and I haven’t got my hair fixed yet so I’ll have to stop this and get something else done. Besides, you are probably asleep by now. Got to go now. See you later, and I don’t mean maybe either!

Lots of love and kisses,

Ethella

P.S. It certainly took me two hours to write this! But who cares, I don’t, so laugh as long as it satisfies you.

2-2-11: Snowed In!

 Some gratuitously cute photos of the puppersons being confused by all the snow and blowing and cold, gettin' snow on their widdle muzzlepowshies:

 Some gratuitously cute photos of Stevie's iced over eyebrows: