Catalog Sunday: Montgomery Wards 1933

Happy Birthday Granny!

One of the foundations in my life turned 100 years old today! I remember us singing Ray Charles songs as a kid, calling her to remind her her favorite show, The Equalizer was about to start, and her still to this day, less than five minute phone calls.

She's as hard headed as me, and I think about her all the time.
Love my granny and I'm so proud to be her granddaughter.

Here is to more time talking with her and hearing her laugh. :)

Happy birthday Marie Smith.

Accomplishments!

Hello lovely people.

Yes, that is Brian in the middle of three dogs larger than him.

Brian was all, "sup."

They were all, "sup."

"Can I sniff your butt?"

"Cool, bro."

Home for the Holiday

Hello lovely people.

I've been gone. More like, away. I flew home for the first time in 10 years to surprise my 95 year old grandmother for her birthday.

Here I am! raises hand

Hey everybody! I've been busy this month, scrambling and trying to stay in the state. I'm close, but if you can, I'd like to ask for your help. 

I need to come up with $300 by the end of the week, so if you are thinking of buying anything from my etsy store, now would be the time and would really help me. As far as finding a job, I feel I'm getting close. I have a few nice commissions and have been picked up by a few places but the fruits of that are hopefully coming down the pipeline. For now, I just need to stay diligent and keep going, and I'm so close this month.

Testing my new photo backdrop

Happy Saturday one and all. 

I am finally getting tons of stuff together. I know I have been saying that for ages, but I mean it. I'm sewing, and setting in and getting it all up and up. I've put up more photos of family. Yes, that is my mother, brother and me.

Linen NRA dress, a daytime version concluded.

It turned out pretty well. I like the buttons and the accessories keep the dress from looking like a maid's uniform.

When I was taking the photos, I couldn't help but think of this photograph. My great Grandmother is the one in the light colored dress.

A few more pictures of the linen dress are on NVL.

Inspiration.

Its amazing how the world of blogs can suck you in.

I was reading this post, and while I have been asked the question of why are there not too many people of color into the vintage and the 'scene', it does get old hat. IVe talked with many gals of color on the subject (and some boys too) and frankly their reasoning I completely understand. Its hard to differentiate the romantic notions of the era with the reality of how you would have been treated in the era.

My motivation for my love of the 30s and 40s is my family. What they went through, what they helped to accomplish. All that they did for me. My family has been in the same area for over 5 generations. Ive seen the plantation where my Great, great uncle helped to lay out the stone markers at the front gates. Its the history of that that makes me love the styles and music and manners and some of the customs of the time.

When my mother died in 2005, I went home and looked through all the old photos my Granny had. Here are some of my family that date from the late 30s to the early 50s. Ive scanned them all and plan to make my Granny a photo album to give to her so she can write all the dates and names of all the people.

This is teenage shot of my Granny.

This is my Great Grandmother.

Thats my Grandmother and Grandfather on the left.

I love this photo. This is the same house I grew up in. Practically everything is the same.

And this letter which was a telegram to my Granny. The thing is, Samuels is a family name, but Smith was my Grannie's married name. Im going to have to ask her about this.

I love my Granny.

She celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this month, and this past weekend the family threw her a dinner. I couldn't make it, but with how much I chat with her, Im sure she understood.

So here is my homage to my Granny, who makes me crazy sometimes but whom I love dearly. Her high school graduation picture from 1938, and her diploma. Imagine being a black woman with a high school diploma in 1938! That astounds me.

Whenever Im frustrated about my own obstacles, I think about her life. I think the name of her High School says a lot of it. I have her diploma, my mother's and mine all shadow boxed hanging on my wall. I look at them everyday.

Love you Granny :)