Happy Easter, My Dears!!!!

A Happy Easter, from Fred, Sarah, Billy, and the 'Squares'....

Easter Dinner: 1962

Another snippet from a 1962 entertaining magazine. The recipes sound quite nice, but the bunny...ooohhh the creepy bunny.....




I'm not sure who thought it would be a good idea to make a centerpiece out of a disembodied Peter Cottontail head.....especially one made from a balloon. Weird? Yes. Would my grandmother have made one of these for my dad and uncle for Easter? Absolutely. *shivers*
Remember kids, there is a fine line between 'kitsch' and 'creepy'....

How To Get Drunk, 1962

This lovely little how to is from a vintage home entertaining magazine from 1962. It'll put you in the know, make you look like a pro....and get your guests gassed. Now I ask you, what could be better?











....Your friends at Dollybirdvintage remind you to please drink responsibly. And if you can't drink responsibly, at least bring along a boring friend who can pick you up off the cobblestones and shove you into a black cab.

Sprucing Up For Spring-1959

Howdy doodles, chipmunks!
I found this cute little pre-Martha Stewart article in the Spring 1959 edition of Your Home magazine and I just had to share it. Regardless of it's age, it's a darn good guide to what needs the most attention in order to ready your home for warmer weather...and of course, the photos are absolutely smashing!!!

What's Goin On: 11-17 April, 2011

The week in London so far...


13 April:

Boom Shaka Lacka
Barrio Central (Basement Bar)
6 Poland Street
London, United Kingdom
8pm-1am
Free entry


16 April:

The Vintage Kilo Sale - London
The Rag Factory
16-18 Heneage Street
E1 5LJ
Touring the UK, the Vintage Kilo offers shoppers the chance to mix and match items from the 60s - 80s and pay for them per kilo. No matter whether it's dresses and a pair of jeans, retro tees, jackets or skirts, 1kg is £15. Result.
No matter whether you're buying a bulk-job or individual pieces, we want you to get the most for your money and so our traders will always scope out your bags and make sure you're getting the best for you and your pocket.
Additionally, expect a wonderful selection of one-off garments from 50s and before. Starting from a mere £20, pick up a real piece of the past that's easy on the pocket!
11am-4pm
A mere £1 entry


HELTER SKELTER
Heroes Bar
147 Kentish Town Road
NW1 8PB
Helter Skelter is a night for people who wish they lived through the sixties, with the added benefit of all the great music that has since been inspired by that same era. Expect to hear classics, rarities and songs by your new favourite band.
DJ(s): GEORGE WHEELS (Bedrock/This Feeling), LEONIE (Helter Skelter), plus special guests playing the best Psychedelic, 60's Garage, Rock N Roll, and Soul!
9pm-2am
Free entry


BLACK COTTON CLUB
Volupte Lounge
7-9 Norwich Street
EC4A 1EJ
Rare Sounds Played On Original 78s
Hot Jazz, Swing, Jump, Swingin' RB, Western Swing, Latin, Gospel, Gypsy Jazz...
Live Music on mid night by "DIXIE TICKLERS"
Shellac Spinners EL NINO & LADY KAMIKAZE
Plus Special Guest SWING MANIAC (Mouthful O' Jam)
10pm-3am
£10 All Night



17 April:

Primrose Hill Vintage Fashion Fair
Cecil Sharp House
2 Regents Park Road, Camden
NW1 7AY
Vintage clothing, hats, handbags, gloves, shoes, jewellery and textiles from 1800’s – 1980’s will be on show. Spend a leisurely Sunday browsing and buying from the many stalls at our exclusive venue in Primrose Hill.
You will be able to find very wearable vintage pieces at affordable prices and also designer labels if you are looking for something extra special.
There is a selection of delicious home made food and refreshments at very reasonable prices.
11am-5pm
£3 on the door

Bedknobs & Broomsticks - Portobello Road

Golly, how I miss my Saturday afternoons in Portobello Market!....and more importantly, my weekly box of Hummingbird cuppycakes!! I'll be moving back to London soon though, I hope!

I Wish I Were A Princess.....

I don't know if I've mentioned it to you chickens before, but I collect dollhouses and dollhouse furniture. Yes, I'm a 7 year old in an adult's body. As with many other of my peculiarities, I blame this one on my grandmother. She started this obsession. I had no choice in the matter. But I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

You see, my grandmother collected dolls all her life. In fact, the entire second floor of her house was filled with them. But around the late '60s, she began branching out in a new direction as well. Dollhouses. Years later, upon my birth, she had three of them made for me. That's right, kids. Three.

Thus began my own love of dollhouses and minis. Thirteen (Yup. One, Three) dollhouses and hundreds of pieces of furniture later, I'm still at it!


Today I thought I'd share my favourite pieces of my dollhouse furniture collection with you. My Ideal Petite Princess/Princess Patti Fantasy Furniture from the mid '60s.

Ideal began first began making these furniture sets in 1964. I don't know what you would call the style really. It's a weird mixture of mid sixties glam, modern, art deco, and French Neo Classical. It's become my ideal (pun intended) and I've always just refered to it as 'Petite Princess' style.
From the original 1964 brochure: "You will find soft, plush chairs and sofas, gilt-edged mirrors, dressers and cabinets with drawers and doors that really open and close. Everything you can dream of."


The original Petite Princess line up was sold in 30 'sets' with each set containing either one or several pieces that were meant to decorate 4 different cardboard 'fantasy' rooms: bedroom, music room, living room and dining room.



Later, in 1965, the Ideal company began producing Princess Patti, basically the Petite Princess line with added kitchen and bathroom sets.



They continued to make and market the line through the rest of the decade. There was a house that was introduced through Sears that was a cardboard base covered in vinyl that had been printed with rooms on the inside and a colonial type mansion facade.



I mean to eventually collect the whole set...furniture, original rooms, vinyl house, and dolls (although quite frankly, I don't like the dolls that are part of the set. I think 'Dawn' would be more fitting!).




When I grow up, I want my house to be decorated like this!