In Defense of the Domestic Male... And a fun cupboard...

Manly men!

As you know from reading this, not all men are particularly interested in sports, or hunting, or business, or all those other stereotypically "manly" things.  In fact, many of us are pretty domestic at heart.  You'd think that would be well-accepted in our egalitarian society, but I don't think it really is.  Before I married my wife, her mother commented that I would, "make a great wife!"  I don't think she meant this as a compliment at the time (don't worry, we like each other and get along beautifully...  I think she accepts and appreciates my "uniqueness" now!), and I think many women can't imagine men who actually LIKE to be a part of the running of the home, beyond the perfectly acceptable masculine tasks of caring for the yard and gutters.  Men who know how to decorate, or entertain, or sew, or cook or craft are still viewed somewhat suspiciously.  A real man goes a'huntin' and a'fishin' and leaves all that woman's work to the woman.  Or, do they?

I can tell you of at least one pretty burly "manly man" who doesn't mind spending the evening tying off a quilt with his wife (an old family acquaintance), and yet another who got through a long bout of unemployment by crocheting countless, very nice potholders (my late grandfather...  a great Army cook who made some darn fine Lemon Meringue Pies in the middle of the Sahara during World War II!) .  Some of the best needleworkers have been men - King George VI (the present Queen's father) created finely crafted seat covers for a whole suite of antique chairs at his Royal Lodge.  The White House has just hired the first ever male Social Secretary.  And knitting made quite a comeback a few years back, in no small part because of men who were discovering their creative side.

Years ago, I wouldn't have minded if people complimented the curtains in our house, but I wouldn't necessarily have advertised the fact that I was the one who made them.  Cooking seemed fairly safe, but sewing might have been pushing it.  Now?  I couldn't care less.  In fact, I take some joy in the look of surprise when the truth comes out.

Crafting is looked at in much the same way.  A real man works with wood.  The sharper the saw, the manlier the man.  Most "crafty dads" are depicted making clever toys for their kids or other less than attractive, but reliably "manly", items out of metal, wood, brick and, maybe, rope.  If it's useful, it's fine.  If it is "pretty", it's questionable.

Well friends, I am here to tell you that you can glitter, sew and cook and still be a man.  And a pretty happy one at that.  Men's contributions to the decorative arts can't be overlooked and, believe it or not, there are many of us who like the domestic arts as well.  Cooking, cleaning and ironing isn't just for Harriet Nelson anymore.  I'll bet, maybe off camera, Ozzie had some opinions about the living room drapes too.  He might have even enjoyed ironing, like I do.  Improving your surroundings is fun, and helping to keep house is a joy.

What led me to this little defense?  It came to me as I stood at the ironing board tonight, pressing a stack of our favorite tablecloths.  I started to think about how long I've enjoyed ironing the "flat things" - ever since my mom put me to work as a kid.  And, who couldn't find some serenity in it...  soft, clean, fresh smelling linens, instantly improved by sweeping a hot iron over the smooth surface.  It's downright therapeutic. 

This little stack of ironing got me thinking...

Successful homekeeping is an art, and it's also a pleasure.  If you're a man and your reading this, you are probably related to me somehow...  But I digress...  If you are a man and are reading this, and if you haven't experienced the enjoyment that comes from being "domesticated", give it a try!  You might find a whole new and interesting world awaits.

This little cupboard wasn't fun a few hours ago...
It was filled with the strangest assortment of things.
Bits of cat food, six or seven scout books, several
phone books, papers, candy wrappers and who knows
what else.  The joy of kids!  Now...

It's packed with fun stuff!  Perfectly ironed linens, a vintage
Park and Shop game, a little photo album filled with
Polaroids, a pack of "Vintage Slang Flash Cards" (these
are truly hilarious) and a stack of magazines from
the early 1950's.  Enough stuff to keep you occupied for
a whole, rainy afternoon!

Blue Rooms

The brighter, bolder Blue Room of today.
The walls haven't been blue since
1961, though...  Jackie Kennedy
took care of that.

I've always loved White House history, and one of the things that attracted me early on was the idea of rooms named after colors.  Who couldn't love the Red Room, the Green Room or, the grandest in the President's Mansion, the Blue Room.

The Blue Room is the principal reception room in the White House.  A large, elliptical salon filled with some of the best furniture the house has to offer, the Blue Room has been the cause of some controversy.  Just how much blue does the Blue Room have to have in it?  And just what shade is blue enough?

The room has been royal blue, sapphire blue, even robin's egg blue, but Jacqueline Kennedy's restoration of the White House pushed the boundaries of propriety in the eyes of many.  For the first time in anyone's memory, she chose to cover the walls in white damask!  Certainly, there was plenty of blue in the upholstery, in the carpet and in the draperies, but this new, and historically accurate, rendering of the famous room seemed just a touch too...  French.  In truth, Mrs. Kennedy was attempting to return the State Floor of the Executive Mansion to it's earliest incarnation.  During the early years of the American government, much of the best furniture and style was thought to come to France.  One must also remember that for many years, England was a no go when it came to furnishing the home of the new nation's president.  Where else could we turn but to our stylish ally, France?  Certainly, the look of the room following the massive Truman restoration of the early 1950's left a lot to be desired.

The Blue Room as it was from 1952 to 1961...  Very, er,
blue!  A Fabulous Technicolor shade of azure,
but a little garish?

A considerable improvement in my view...
The Blue Room circa 1962, after Mrs.
Kennedy took the bold step of brightening
up the room.

This little bit of history has little to do with the initial idea for this post.  Our son, Thomas, took this picture of our living room with some sort of app on his Ipod.  I loved it so much that it reminded me of one of my favorite songs (see below) as well as one of my favorite rooms in one of my favorite places...  the White House.

Admittedly, this is nothing like the Blue Room at the
White House...  but I love this picture of our
living room, and it reminded me of the
blue rooms I like.

So, here's to rooms devoted to color, to the White House, and to dreams of our own blue rooms!



Cozy Kitchen Corners

Wow...  that's some kitchen!  The 50's
must have been a fun time to decorate
the home.

We live in a very old house.  One hundred and one years old, to be exact.  It was nicely updated...  sometime in the 1950's.  This is not a complaint, we love our house and we know all of it's little idiosyncrasies.  The few times we've determined that it was time for a move, we have faced the fact that we can't bear to leave our house.  It's small, for ten people, and it has some issues, but it feels like home should feel, and one can't ignore that.

I love the wavy glass in the old windows, the fabulous woodwork that would cost a fortune now.  I love the doors and doorknobs, and the slightly uneven wooden floors.  I also love the kitchen, which is far from perfect.

Lighting and outlets have always been an issue.  There are three outlets in our kitchen, and one of them is only for the stove.  The other is behind the refrigerator and, therefore, useless.  The last electrical point is the one that is sued for everything...  blenders, toasters, mixers...  When you are preparing a big dinner, like Thanksgiving, there is a lot of pulling and plugging going on.  If you want to make a cooked frosting, which I almost always do, you have to run an extension cord across the room for the hand mixer.  The outlet seems rather loose, as well, so it's sometimes necessary to bribe a child to make sure the plug doesn't slip out.  It's no wonder that my kids don't really like Seven Minute Frosting.

Why just put dishes in your dish cupboard?  Lining the
back and then including fun items you've collected
over time is a great way to add interest and make it
fun to put away those dishes!

But, there are some good points about our kitchen, as well.  Even though I vow to change it from time to time, I really like the milk-glass green cabinets.  I also like the red and white gingham curtains and the big "Keep Calm and Carry On" picture that presides over the room.  It is, to me, a cozy, friendly kitchen and it's filled with all kinds of fun things to make and to do.

We love our Pyrex bowls and use them.  But
they also look great as decorative items.  So
do cookbooks...  Some of them are sentimental
keepers (the light blue Joy of Cooking was my
grandmother's), and others are well-used
standbys (the New Joy of Cooking that my
son bought me for Christmas several years ago).
Old-fashioned kitchen gadgets also look good...
That donut maker?  Doesn't work at all, but the
box is very cool.  The cookie presses do work
and are brought out every year at Christmas.
Retro packaging is so colorful and jolly,
and it brightens up the kitchen enormously.

If you, like me, have a less than perfect kitchen, or any room for that matter, it's easy to overcome.  By filling your space with enough of the things you really like, you can make almost any room into a favorite place to spend your time.

Dapper and Dreamy Designs 2011 Products

We've been hard at work here at Dapper and Dreamy (no, that's not us above, but check out those dapper and dreamy ski lodge fashions!), designing fun items for the holidays.  Our selection is pretty limited for the first year, but it will grow and evolve as time goes on.

If you are interested in any of our products, or know of great shops in your area where we might offer them, please feel free to contact us!

Christmas Cards

All cards are printed on high quality cardstock with a semi-gloss finish.

Cards measure 4" x 5" and include a coordinating envelope.

Each card has hand-applied glitter embellishments.

Window treatment for ballroom -
Yuletide Palace, North Pole.

Retro Christmas Part 1!

And part 2!

You've seen them before and here they are again!  Our perfectly kitschy tributes

to Jackie...

Front...

Back!

And the ever popular and original Jackie "Paperdoll" Stocking!

Family Heirlooms... The Fruit Quilt

Birthday's come but once a year...  although the years seem to be getting shorter.  Happily, this year's birthday celebration lasted for four nights!  How did I calculate this?  It was exactly the number of evenings that I didn't have to decide on, or make, dinner.  This is, perhaps, one of the best gifts I could be given.

On Monday, the last night of this extended celebration, my mother had all ten of us for dinner...  That must be a daunting proposition, don't you think?  I well remember hearing people boast about how many people they were hosting for Thanksgiving or Christmas...  "I am feeding fifteen people!"...  At my house, we start with ten and it just seems to go up and up from there...  But, back to the point.

One of the fun things about visiting my mom's house, aside from the consumption of large amounts of really, really good food that I never make for myself, is the chance to see some of the things that I grew up with and loved.

There's a beautifully carved Victorian dresser that, for years, wouldn't open.  Now, it's been put into perfect shape and sits in the guest room.  I loved that dresser, especially the finely turned medallion that tops the mirror.  To me, it always seemed like such a grand piece of furniture.

Lovely old Victorian dresser.

Marvelous carving...  I was always very
impressed with the fat strawberry at
the top!

I also always loved a certain wooden box, the top inlaid with mother of pearl, that contained bottles for ink, a blue velvet pin cushion and several little compartments, including a secret one.  It always has the same smell, sort of a woodsy perfume smell, and is used to put special little items like greeting cards, movie tickets and the like.  I spent many happy hours taking the little wooden separators out and reconstructing them again.

The secret compartment, which I thought I alone had
discovered, always made me wonder what sorts of
exciting and mysterious things must have been
in this box at one time!

But, perhaps my favorite thing of all is a quilt...  A quilt that my great-grandmother made and that my mom has always had.  It's large enough for a full sized bed and it's made of cool, slightly-yellowed white cotton and trimmed in bright green.  There are at least thirty "baskets" of appliqued fruits, attached to the fabric with tiny stitches and made of the loveliest  and most colorful cotton.  There are fruits that we don't even think that much of today...  tiny redcurrants, each with it's little tail, and tart, green gooseberries.  There are apples and cherries, at least two kinds, bananas with their tropical banana leaves, pineapples, plums, giant grapefruits, oranges and apricots...  it makes me hungry just writing about it!

This quilt is made of the coolest, softest cotton you could
ever find.  Perfect for naps in the summer!

I think my favorite bits are the berries - raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.  The raspberries and blackberries are each carefully embroidered so that you can see each and every tiny segment, and the strawberries are dotted with their diminutive yellow seeds.  It's the sort of thing that can keep a small child's mind occupied for a long, long time...  For example when they wake up early from a nap, as I often did.

I think one of the reasons I love blackberries
so much is because of this quilt!

Does anyone grow red currants anymore?  I think
that they are one of the prettiest fruits around.  They
look like little red rubies...

  

Old-fashioned apricots...  Yum!

Quilts are lovely things.  When properly aged they are soft and cool in the summer - perfect for wrapping up in on a breezy evening, or spreading out on the green grass for a picnic.  I also recall using this particular quilt to make a fort - draping it over two chairs with the sunlight filtering through to light the Technicolor fruits.  Quilts also add a homely touch to any room.  The fabric can be a humble patchwork of scraps, or it can be a carefully designed pattern of precisely cut shapes and sizes.  My mother-in-law makes fabulous quilts, carefully turning all kinds of fabrics into works of art to celebrate a season or a holiday or a baby.

We are lucky to be able to visit our moms and to see some of our favorite things where they ought to be - still with them and in their use and care.  Family heirlooms might be fun to have, but I think they are more fun to look at and admire when they are with the people who shared them with you. 

In our own homes, it's lovely to have the chance to share those things we've been given that have been passed down in our families - pictures, embroidered linens, dishes, silver, furniture - and to remember all the stories associated with them and the people who touched them and loved them before you did.  It's a reminder that we are all just stewards of that which we possess.

Book and Movies of the Week... Jane Eyre

Dreamy reading an old copy of Jane Eyre.  Check out
that dapper bookmark!  Vintage Louis Vuitton ribbon
and a fabulous diamante button...  That girl makes the
coolest things!

I admit it's odd but, for some reason, if my wife reads a book, even if it's one that I'm interested in, I don't feel like I need to read it.  Just her reading and describing it to me seems almost as good.  This is a shame, because she is much better read than I am, at least in terms of the classics.  Jane Eyre is the perfect example.  She's read it, told me all about it and, therefore, I don't have to read it...  but I really should.  And, now, I probably will.

Like so many books and movies, I had exactly the wrong idea about Jane Eyre.  What I thought was about (gleaned from the first five minutes of it's 2006 appearance on Masterpiece Theatre), and what it is about, are two different things.  And, having watched both the Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine vehicle and this year's adaptation, I'm sorry I hadn't known this sooner.

Let's start with the book, which I will once again remind you that I have not actually read...  The Dreamy side of this blog tells me that it is fabulous.  She really couldn't put it down and loved it even more than the movie...  which she really, really loves.  It's not often that you can say a classic is a page-turner, but judging by the bright light that shined late into the night, the exploits of Jane and Mr. Rochester will keep you enamored into the wee hours.

The 1943 version of Jane Eyre is my favorite...  sort of.  It's the sort of film that you can sit through again and again.  At first you're captured and, over time, it's lovely to have on in the background.  Orson Welles plays the role of Edward Rochester nobly, although he is Orson Welles as Mr. Rochester rather than actually inhabiting the character himself.  Joan Fontaine is a marvelous Jane.  She is just meek enough, outwardly at least, but shows great strength when necessary.  She really becomes Jane, and her performance if very believable.  Joan Fontaine seems to me to be a rather adaptable performer, never quite associated with one role in particular.  She is equally good in Rebecca, Suspicion and Jane Eyre.  Peggy Ann Garner is perfect as the young Jane, as well.  As she often does, Agnes Moorehead plays an ideal meanie in the part of Jane's wretched aunt, who abandons her to the hands of evil Henry Daniell as Mr. Brocklehurst, headmaster of the dreadful Lowood Institution, the kind of boarding school little English children must have had nightmares about.  And, finally, there's Margaret O'Brien as Adelle, Mr. Rochester's little French charge.  Perhaps the most charming child actress of all time (sorry Shirley!), O'Brien steals every scene she's in.  In short, it's a grand film filled with top actors, and one you'll watch again and again.

And, now, on to the 2011 version...  Rather than being filled with big names, most of the players are relatively unknown, with the exception of Dame Judi Dench who has never played any part badly.  The title role of Jane Eyre is taken by Mia Wasikowska, best known for her role as Alice in the 2010 film, Alice in Wonderland.  This is Jane Eyre as she was most likely envisioned by Charlotte Bronte...  very, very plain.  But, through her personality alone, one believes that the more attractive Mr. Rochester is, truly, interested.  And, speaking of Mr. Rochester, he is played well by Michael Fassbender.  Unlike Orson Welles, Fassbender allows his character free reign rather than dominating him in any way with his own characteristics.

The 2011 version is, according to Melissa, much truer to the already quite true 1943 version.  The characters are a bit more clearly drawn and the locations seem less bleak and daunting.  Perhaps that last bit is too bad, for in the 1943 version, there seems to be a really daunting sense of danger in Rochester's echoing castle and the character of the lady in the attic seems much more frightening.

Like so many classic movies and their remakes, each can serve it's own purpose.  For entertainment, character likability and familiarity, I'd take the Orson Welles/Joan Fontaine film.  However, to feel that I am getting a closer-to-the-book adaptation, I'd have to select the newest incarnation.  Having said that, there may be a middle ground...  In 2007, Jane Eyre aired as a four-part miniseries on Masterpiece Theatre.  With more time, and the backing of the BBC, this might be a good alternative to both.

I should apologize for so many Movies of the Week...  but it seems that we've come across so many good films lately, that I'd hate not to pass on the recommendations! 

What's on your IPOD?

People's musical tastes can reveal a lot about them.  Perhaps that's one of the reason's we aren't always completely forthcoming about what we really like to listen to.  For example, I'd rather die than have anyone know that I have Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing "Islands in the Stream" on my playlist...  oops.

But, it gets worse.  Fortunately, I have no street cred.  In fact, it's a well-known fact that my musical tastes might make Lawrence Welk look like a swinger.  It's true... I like Ray Conniff.  It's not just those jazzy covers and internationally loved Christmas songs...  I like a lot of his versions of movie theme songs and 50's and 60's hits.  "Easy Listening" might be my favorite musical section at any CD store. 

You'll also find an eclectic mix of Doris Day and Frank Sinatra, Queen and Depeche Mode, Morrissey and Ella Fitzgerald, Mozart and Handel, Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey, They Might Be Giants and Burl Ives...  my friends, it's all there..  and so much more.  There are also several old Lux Radio Theatre presentations of popular films of the 30's and 40's, dozens of  "Dragnet", "My Favorite Husband", "The Whistler" and "Suspense" radio episodes, about ten versions of "Ave Maria" and a few versions of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", currently a favorite song.  And then, the podcasts produced by The Royal Collection - keepers and experts on all the trappings that surround the British Royal Family.

When I like a piece of music, I tend to get it in multiples.  "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is one example, but there's also, "In the Bleak Midwinter".  A song so hauntingly beautiful that it goes straight through you.  I first heard it at a high school choir concert of all places!  I found a few versions on Itunes, and bought them all.  The same is true of my favorite hymns of all time, "The Holy City" (if you've never heard Mahalia Jackson sing, or this hymn, the two together are incomparable) and "Softly and Tenderly".

Can you imagine a time when you'd hear a piece of music once, maybe twice, and it would have to be
performed live?  Think of the people who lived in the time of Mozart.  Now, we can take his complete works with us everywhere we go.  Now, if I like something, I might listen to it over and over and over and...  you get the point.  We are lucky, aren't we?

Finally, just to let you know how roundly condemned my taste in audio entertainment is, I share this little story with you...

A few years ago, our car was broken into while it was parked in our carport.  Among the things that were taken were several CD's.  One of my favorites was "The Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II".  Calling around to local record stores who are known to buy used CD's, the "coolest" one in town had this to say, truly aghast...  "Dude...  You mean you actually listen to that @#$*?"  Yes, "dude", I really do.

So, whether you are bold enough to share all of your musical tastes with others, or you like to keep a few hidden gems as your own guilty pleasures, enjoy the fabulous technology that allows us to carry it with us wherever we go.  What's on your IPOD?  A little Ray Conniff, perhaps...

Say "Hello" to the Dapper and Dreamy Couple for Fall 2011!

In Celebration of the Brownie

Duncan Hines, creator of
a great brownie recipe...  But not
the greatest...

Brownies...  who doesn't like them?  Well, everyone should like them.  They come in a huge variety of tastes and textures...  Cakey brownies, fudgy brownies.  Dense brownies, thick brownies.  Peanut butter brownies, raspberry truffle brownies, mint brownies...  butterscotch brownies.  I'll admit that last one is controversial, the ubiquitous blondie, as many think that without chocolate, it's not really a brownie.  But, I digress.

I have recently been on a search for the best brownie.  I've always loved the original Duncan Hines brownie.  I am not talking about the ones from the box (nothing from a box even closely resembles a real brownie), but an old recipe published in a 1940's Duncan Hines cookbook.  This is the recipe favored by my mom, and it's the one I grew up with.  I can never get it quite right, though.  Sometimes they are perfect, sometimes too dry, sometimes undercooked.  Still, they're pretty high on my list of brownies, but I've recently found another that just might beat it for flavor and texture, if not nostalgia.  More on that in a moment...

One of the nicest gifts I ever received was from my wife's grandmother, a woman who deserves her own Dapper and Dreamy entry.  Knowing that I liked to bake, she put together about twenty different brownie recipes for me.  Brownies with a crust, Going Bananas Brownies, Chocolate Syrup Snacking Brownies, Best Ever Cocoa Brownies...  the list goes on.  I've had more fun trying out these recipes over the years, and the little book has a special place in my kitchen.  As you can see, I like brownies.

My children like brownies, too.  But here's the rub...  They actually think (wait for it....) that brownies from a box are better than homemade!  Obviously, my kids are so spoiled by from scratch, home cooking that such a thing might appear to be a treat, but I am still more than a little offended.  That might have changed, though, thanks to Susan Branch and her fabulous blog.

Recently, Susan posted a recipe for her brownies that were easy, delectably fudgy and marvelously chewy.  They are made in a pan, no extra bowls needed, and go from stove to oven in only a few minutes.  They bake up perfectly and, if left to cool, have the fudgy, chewy texture of the aforementioned boxed brownie, with the delicious flavor of homemade.  This way, we are all happy (as long as I omit the nuts...  Sorry, Susan)!  I know that these are popular because, unless I cut and hide one for myself, there's no chance there will be anything left for me by the end of the evening.

So, with the kind permission of Susan Branch herself, here is the recipe for the perfect brownie...

Susan Branch's Perfect Brownies

Preheat oven to 325. Butter an 8″ square baking pan.
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/3 c. butter (51/2 Tbsp.)
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. flour (don’t have to sift, just stir to lighten)
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate and butter in a large saucepan. Turn off heat under saucepan; stir in rest of ingredients in order given. Spread in baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely for chewiest results.

Doing Dishes... The Royal Way

The Queen and her cousin, and confidante, Margaret
Rhodes at the late Queen Mother's log cabin on
the royal estate at Balmoral Castle.  Who do you think
will wash and who will dry?

Every summer for the past 60 years, Britain's Prime Ministers have been invited to join the Queen at her Scottish castle, Balmoral, for a weekend.  Part of the routine is to visit one of the little cottages that dot the huge estate for lunch and, later, for tea.  If you are, or were, a British Prime Minister (I am assuming that none of them have seen this blog, yet), you have been shocked to see your sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, doing the washing up after tea.  At least, they all say they were shocked, and I can imagine they were.  Afterall, you'd think the Queen would at least have an automatic dishwasher!  Well, it turns out that Her Majesty really does prefer to wash her royal dishes by hand.  And so do I.

Dishwashers have their place.  There's nothing like the quick fix of filling the Kitchen-Aid with dirty dishes, hoping that they'll emerge sparkling and clean.  The problem is that, usually, they don't.  Not only do you practically have to wash the dishes before you load them, but you have to put them away.  And putting them away is the part I like least.

Washing dishes by hand can be therapeutic.  It can also strengthen family ties.  And, it gets those dishes a lot cleaner.  Picture yourself, standing in front of a sink filled with soft, foamy bubbles.  Not only do they feel nice but, if you invest in some really good dish soap, they smell heavenly.  You see, right here, you are getting the benefits of a spa like steam treatment, with aromatherapy!  Now, imagine that you are not alone.  Next to you is a spouse, a child, a good friend - you choose - brandishing a clean cotton towel, ready to dry.  All through this washing and drying process, you have the opportunity to talk!  Here is the perfect moment to talk about your day, your plans for tomorrow, or anything else that comes to mind.  It's also a time when cell phones, Blackberries and I-Phones are not welcome.  Afterall, who wants to risk dropping them in that hot, soapy water?  And, if it's someone other than your children helping out, it's unlikely that they'll interupt.  They probably aren't going to risk getting roped into putting away.  So...  no interuptions! 

This dapper and dreamy team knows that the couple that
washes dishes together, stays together.

Washing the dishes by hand is sort of a statement, too.  It's like actually writing letters, baking from scratch or scrubbing a floor on your hands and knees.  It's saying that you like to take your time, even savor each moment.  You want to do the job right the first time, and you don't mind a little hard work.  It also feels a little like playing house and it's how Ward and June Cleaver spent that golden hour after dinner.

If it's good enough for the Queen, and the Cleavers...  it's got to be dapper and dreamy!

God Bless America

September 11 will never be just another day.  Even those of us who were not touched directly by the tragedy can remember where we were and what we felt as the events of that morning unfolded.  It was as if the basic security we felt as Americans was suddenly taken away.  Things like this didn't happen in America, they happened somewhere else.  Even today, as images of those planes hitting the towers are replayed, I can feel the same shock and disbelief that I felt ten years ago.  It never becomes ordinary.  If anything, now that we have heard the voices of those who were there when it happened, those that escaped and those that didn't, the images have an extra dimension of sadness.

One of the things that helped ease the sense of sadness, uncertainty and confusion was the collective coming together of Americans.  It took many forms - flags displayed, churches filled, patriotic songs sung.  Some look back on this as a time of unfortunate nationalism.  I, on the other hand, see it as a time when we remembered what it truly means to be a citizen of the United States.  It has nothing to do with your politics, with your country of origin, your race or your religion.  It is not based on your economic status, your age, or any other orientation or designation.  It's simply a belief, however simple or flawed, that we have tried to create the best nation that we can, and that we've done it together.  That it takes all of us to care, to work and to believe.  That we can overcome anything if we band together, however different our beliefs and backgrounds may be.  And, that we can achieve anything by the same means and methods.

September 11 is one of our nation's defining moments.  We're in the midst of another one, right now.  It's about how we can all work together to bring opportunity back to millions of Americans who have lost jobs, homes and, in many cases, hope itself.  It is my prayer that while we pause to remember the events of ten years ago, we can recapture some of the spirit of unity and purpose that we felt at that moment and put it to use in building a future that all those were lost could be proud of.  I think we will.  For all of my varied interests and affections in and for different places and people in the world, I feel blessed to have been born an American.

New Art and Designs From Dapper and Dreamy

This was a particularly creative week in the Dapper and Dreamy studio.  Both of us have been at work on all kinds of little projects.  I thought I'd share some of them with you!

First, I've had a few jewelry designs running through my head for a while and decided to put them down on paper.  Actually, I seem to have a lot of such ideas flying about, but I don't think that the Queen is looking for any new tiara designs, so I'll have to settle for my smaller creations...

Sapphire, Diamond and Gold
Bar Brooch

Emerald, Diamond and Gold Ring

Pearl, Diamond and Gold Starburt Brooch

A smaller, simpler pearl, diamond and gold
starburst pin

I've also done a few new drawings that I'd like to use as card or calendar designs.  Unfortunately, the images don't scan perfectly, the ink marks are much less apparent in real life...

Labor Day Tea for Two

Summer Garden

Here's a birthday card I made for my uncle.  He is an artist par excellence, so it's always a bit of a challenge to give him something I've made.  I doubt that he actually critiques it, but I always feel that his is the real thing while mine is more of the "cute little picture" variety.  What I can tell you is that I have been greatly enjoying my Copic and Prismacolor markers lately...  as noted in my last post!

Here is an invitation I made for a 4th of July party earlier in the summer.  (Can you tell that I am in a tablescape kind of mood this summer...)  This is done is watercolors, which I love.  They are very forgiving, in my opinion, and what might be a mistake looks like a clever turn of the brush! 

And, finally, here is my favorite illustration, so far, from the forthcoming children's book about the Queen.  I should note that Severine is still about ready...  somehow there's a problem getting the illustrations to look right in the finished book.  Stay tuned!

Princess Elizabeth as a bridesmaid, 1932

I hope you are all making lots of fun things.  It's about time to start considering what one might want to make for Christmas gifts, or other interesting holiday projects.  I think that this year we'll take out our vintage Christmas idea magazines (McCall's, Better Homes and Gardens) and try our hands at some of those ultra kitsch 1950's and 60's decorations that, to me, really say, "Merry Christmas"!

Art Supply Stores

We need more art supplies!

If I need to spend some money (I don't, but if I did...), or if I wanted to find an endless and bewildering array of things to spend money on, there's only one place for me to go...  an art supply store.  Here in Eugene, there's only one store that will do, and that's in the basement of the University of Oregon Bookstore.

I love to make things.  I love to paint and draw, write and stitch...  if it's making something and doesn't include power tools, I might be interested (nothing against power tools, although they don't particularly like me).  Descending the stairs at the U of O Bookstore is like entering some sort of artist's Disneyland.  You know it's going to be expensive, you won't get to do everything you want to, and it's going to be a little overwhelming.  You are met by a large display of sale items, none of which really seem to be on sale.  Bypassing that, and quickly acknowledging the sales staff, you find yourself face to face with every manner of art supply...  Paints and pastels, paper of every type, thickness and color, inks in giant, and tiny, bottles...  Walls of oil paints, watercolors and acrylics...  Canvases, crayons, brushes, pencils and, my own particular weakness, pens.  Fountain pens, ink pens, calligraphy pens, plain old ball point pens (in about seventy styles) and markers...  Fat markers, thin markers, permanent markers, water-based markers, alcohol-based markers...  cheap(ish) markers and expensive markers and...  COPIC and PRISMACOLOR MARKERS (yes, I am screaming the names, so much do I love these costly pens).  If you weren't an artist when you entered this realm, you will want to be when you leave.

Copic Markers...  an addiction.  No!  A necessity!

I can't say enough about these markers.  They are nothing like the Crayola felt tips we've all just bought for our children's school backpack.  Hundreds of colors, deeply saturating, blendable!  These markers mean business.  And, at $6.50 each, they should.  I collect them, one at a time, in hopes of having a huge stockpile of them someday.

Prismacolors...  Almost as good as Copics!

Art supply stores seem to spawn creativity for me.  If I don't have any idea what I want to make, or if I am in a rut and need some new inspiration, this is the place to go.  Just now, I am on an illustrating tear.  Not quite cute little pictures for the refrigerator and not quite art for a gallery, I'm having a grand time with my Copics and Prismacolors.  Illustrating a book about the Queen's formative years, making jewelry designs or just making pictures of my house and garden, it's soothing and, to me, genuinely productive work.

So, the next time you need a boost of creativity, head to your local art supply store and be ready to be accosted by fabulously artistic ideas!

Homeschooling... Well, it can be dapper and dreamy!

The Little Red Schoolhouse of
Hyde Park, NY.

As you know from reading this blog, we have a lot of children.  OK, four is a lot, eight is...  enough?  In spite of the near constant activity in our house, especially during the summer, you might be surprised to find that we aren't all that excited for school to start.  Our three oldest children are all in high school, now, while our five youngest are either homeschooled or to small to worry about it.  If we could do it all over again, we would have homeschooled them all.

What are our reasons?  They might not be typical.  We live in an area with really good schools.  I've never seen any sign of the sort of faith-trampling attitudes from teachers and school districts that many homeschooling families are trying to escape.  Actually, in our school district, the opposite seems to be true.  It's a very welcoming place for everyone.  We also don't find ourselves troubled by poor curriculums or less than adequate teachers.  Again, I've been happy and impressed.  For us, it's not the schools, it's our family.

Call us crazy, but we'd like to spend more time with our kids rather than less.  We'd like the opportunity to teach them our values personally, and we'd like to let them know what a big, wide open place the world is.  Our three oldest children are marvelous.  They're accomplished, hard working and dedicated to their education.  But, sometimes, I worry that they are too accomplished, too hard working and too dedicated.  There seems to be an all-pervasive sense in school that this is the most important moment in a person's life.  That everything counts on your educational record and your ability to get into a good college.  To this, I say...  "Pish posh!"

Life is for living.  When you are sixteen or seventeen, the future looks endless.  When you are thirty-seven or thirty-eight, you are starting to realize that it's not.  It's not a matter of doom and gloom, more an understanding that you can't do everything you want to do.  Sometimes, you really do have to make choices.  Looking back, there are many things I would have done differently.  Many attitudes and ideas that I wish I had overcome earlier.  One of the things I would have liked to have known is that there are many paths to success and, even more importantly, many more definitions of what success is.  At eighteen, success may be getting into that Ivy League school.  This was nothing I needed to worry about happening to me.  What you don't realize when you are that young is that your life is going to go in directions you can't imagine and, frankly, can't plan for.  If you don't believe me, ask the countless college graduates, many with advanced degrees, who are serving you in restaurants, working in call centers or simply looking for jobs.

So, why do we think that homeschooling can be dapper and dreamy?  We want our children to learn and master the basics, of course.  We want them to succeed academically and have lots of choices as to the direction they take in life.  But, we also want them to live, laugh and enjoy now.  Working and looking toward the future is important, but not more important than living now.  It really is true that we are only sure of now, this moment.  Appreciate the past, look to the future, but live in the present.  I want my kids to have time to dream, to explore and to learn about all sorts of things.  I want them to be prepared for the "real" world, but with an understanding that the "real" world depends a great deal on what you make of it.

We're not terribly dogmatic about all of this.  We don't look down our noses at people who think differently.  But, the question often arises as to why we think homeschooling is a good idea.  So, here's our answer.

If you are a homeschooling family, what do you love about it?  What are your challenges?  Do you feel that your children are exposed to more interesting and exciting ideas?  Or, are they getting less out of life?

Regardless of what side of the fence you fall on, school's almost back in session everywhere.  It's a good time to look at your own life and ask whether you are keeping your mind sharp.  Are you nourishing and encouraging your own curiosity?  If not, now's a wonderful time to change that!  After all, being smart really is dapper and dreamy!

End of Summer Film... State Fair

I know that I said we were going to head into fall...  And I've already talked about movies this week...  BUT, I had to throw one more summer suggestion in the mix before it was too late.  And, to be honest, I can't believe that it's taken me this long to talk about it.

State Fair is one of the best summertime films of all time.  Not the 1960's version with Pat Boone, a truly terrible remake if ever one existed.  The real movie from 1945 is the way to go.  One of the things I like best about classic films is color...  Technicolor!  Color by Deluxe!  VistaVision!  Have you ever tried to replicate that kind of color in your home or your own photos?  I don't think it's possible.  But, if I could, I'd live in a Technicolor world.  And, watching State Fair, you can imagine that you do, if for just a little while.

State Fair is about as corny as can be, and that's part of the charm.  From the romances of the farmer's daughter, Margie, (Jeanne Crain), and up and coming reporter Pat (Dana Andrews) to Wayne's (Dick Haymes) ill-fated affair with band singer Emily Edwards (Vivian Blaine), the love just can't be stopped.  There are also appearances by Percy Kilbride (best known as Pa Kettle) as a doom-predicting neighbor, Charles Winninger as Margie and Wayne's prized pig raising father, Abel, and Fay Bainter as Melissa, the perfect wife and mother for farm life.  And this is no ordinary farm!  The enormous white house if filled with dazzling color - a white and red and blue kitchen, every shelf perfectly lined with frilly paper, Margie's blue and pink bedroom, filled with overstuffed chintz chairs and canopied bed, and an well-appointed front hall.  Who wouldn't want to live on this farm?!

This is how we dressed when we were at the Lane
County Fair a couple of weeks ago...
Wayne and Margie - the love that couldn't be
stopped.

The fun doesn't end when the family arrives at the fair.  Camping out in style, Melissa Frakes treats her family to homecooked meals prepared in her open air, traveling kitchen, right beside the mini-Airstream.   Abel is distracted by the fate of Blue Boy, his prized pig, who is bound for glory as the blue ribbon winner in the hog competition.  There are some tense moments as we see Blue Boy lay down mid-competition, but when he sees his competitor, and love interest, come into the ring, he rights himself, much to the relief of the whole family.

You can't talk about State Fair without mentioning the costumes.  While everyone is relatively well-dressed - every man wears a suit and tie to the fair - you can't beat Margie for sartorial extravagance.  From her starched and frilly blue and white gingham jumper while at home on the farm, to the unbelievable black cherry velvet ensemble she wears to see the results of the mincemeat combination, these are outfits straight out of a 1940's Katy Keene paper doll book.  After you see State Fair, it will be the movie that comes to mind when you think of Hollywood musicals.

Jeanne Crain in one of
the best costumes in
State Fair...  Black cherry
velvet...  Isn't this just what
you'd wear to the fair?

Did I talk about the music?  There are so many catchy tunes in this movie that you'll wonder why you don't know more of them.  "It's a Grand Night for Singing", "Our State Fair", "That's For Me", "It Might As Well Be Spring", "I Owe Ioway" (truly my favorite musical dance moment of all time, except for just about anything in Easter Parade) and a few others will stick with you for some time.  And, that's not a bad thing.

What's rather sad is that a lot of the actors and actresses I've mentioned here, and in other posts, are long forgotten.  But, when you see movies like this, with singers like Vivian Blaine, you might be inspired to look for more of their work.  In the case of Jeanne Crain, she appeared in countless films in the forties and fifties, including, Margie, Cheaper By the Dozen, People Will Talk and another unfortunate teaming with Dana Andrews in the sixties, Hot Rods to Hell.

I know that I speak in superlatives when I write about movies, but there really are so many truly wonderful films out there.  Funny, uplifting, entertaining, inspiring, informative and suspenseful, there was a time when Hollywood turned out movies that, little did they know, would be watched for decades to come.  State Fair is certainly on that list.  I can't recommend it highly enough, so catch it before the summer's over!

P.S.  Watch the mincemeat scene...  It's my favorite!