Thursday, February 25, 2021

Dress from a painting




Yves Saint Laurent is responsible for the world's most unusual wedding dress.


Dress from a painting. Wilhelmina von Hallwyl’s 1865 pink gown by W W. Ullberg & Comp. T



Mary Todd Lincoln dress 1850s.


Bobergh Evening gown, 1861 Silk satin, silk ribbon, handmade "Point de Gaze" lace Charles Frederick Worth and Otto Bobergh founded Worth & Bobergh in Paris in the fall of 1857 or 1858






                                                           DESIGNED BY Ann Lowe
                                                            American, 1898 - 1981



Debutante dress designed by Ann Lowe and worn by Barbara Baldwin Dowd, 1966. According to the Smithsonian: “An ivory dress decorated with swirls of handmade fabric rose vines. The variety of rose depicted on the dress is the American Beauty, which has led to it being called the "American Beauty" dress






Sophie Malgat in Balenciaga's cocktail dress made from hundreds of scalloped bands of silk chiffon sewn on a straight slip, Fall 1950, photo by Philippe Pottier, L'Officiel, 1950


Pierre Balmain, 1952 | Black velvet cocktail dress with chiffon roses embroidered by François Lesage, fall-winter 1952-1953


Puff Pastry Baked Churros

Ingredients:
  • 1 ѕhееt frоzеn раѕtrу puff ѕhееt, thawed (uѕuаllу they соmе іn a 2 расk . . . if уоu wаnt tо make both ѕhееtѕ, just dоublе thе rесіре)
  • 1/2 сuр ѕugаr
  • 2 tеаѕрооnѕ grоund cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter (melted)
Directions:
  1. Preheat оvеn tо 450 degrees F.
  2. Unfоld аnd сut puff раѕtrу ѕhееtѕ іn hаlf lеngthwіѕе, аnd cut еасh hаlf сrоѕѕwіѕе into 1-inch-wide ѕtrірѕ.  Plасе strips оn a lightly greased parchment paper-lined bаkіng ѕhееt.
  3. Bаkе 8-10 mіnutеѕ оr untіl golden brown (mіnе only tооk 8 minutes).
  4. Mеаnwhіlе, combine sugar аnd cinnamon іn a bоwl.
  5. Rеmоvе раѕtrу ѕhееtѕ from оvеn аnd dір іn mеltеd buttеr, then rоll in cinnamon-sugar mіxturе.
  6. Let stand оn a wіrе rасk fоr 5 mіnutеѕ оr untіl drу.
  7. Mаkеѕ 18 churros
www.mariasskitchen.com

Inspiring Words

 “It is impossible to escape the impression that people commonly use false standards of measurement — that they seek power, success and wealth for themselves and admire them in others, and that they underestimate what is of true value in life.” Sigmund Freud


“What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose.” Margaret Thatcher


“The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.” Henry Ford

“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”  Dale Carnegie


“The real opportunity for success lies within the person and not in the job.” Zig Ziglar

“I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.” Abraham Lincoln


“You can’t outwit fate by standing on the sidelines placing little side bets about the outcome of life. Either you wade in and risk everything you have to play the game or you don’t play at all. And if you don’t play you can’t win.” Judith McNaught


“The good news is that the moment you decide that what you know is more important than what you have been taught to believe, you will have shifted gears in your quest for abundance. Success comes from within, not from without.” Elie Wiesel

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Icon Haute Couture


Sophia Loren


1957




Vintage Ceil Chapman 1940's 40's Black Crepe Draped Cocktail Party Dress 

In 2009, a Christian Dior haute couture 'Esther' evening gown, from AW 1952, 


Julio Roberts wore in the movie Mirror Mirror






Land of the Blind (2006), 20th Century, Lara Flynn Boyle as First Lady. Costume Design by Phoebe De Gaye.



A man with penguins in his truck


A man was driving down the road when a policeman stopped him. The officer looked in the back of the man’s truck and said, “Why are these penguins in your truck?”

The man replied, “These are my penguins. They belong to me.”

“You need to take them to the zoo,” the policeman said.

The next day, the officer saw the same guy driving down the road. He pulled him over again. He saw the penguins were still in the truck, but they were wearing sunglasses this time. “I thought I told you to take these penguins to the zoo!” the officer said.

“I did,” the man replied. “And today I’m taking them to the beach.”






 

Posted on my 50th birthday. Ten years ago. Today is my 60th Birthday, What have I learned

                                           


Its my birthday today, the big five zero. They say that age is just a number well when you reach the fifties,  things change. Aches and pains come along too. 

 Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70th birthday…Oprah asked her what 
she thought of growing older. 


And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting...'

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day.....like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back...'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'



Today is my 60th Birthday. Happy Birthday to myself.
Where can I begin, so much has happened in the past ten years, good and bad. Firstly I survived being infected with covit, I pulled through, where as many people have lost their lives.
I have learned:

To get excited and create changes even when being thrown with negative remarks.

Reduce the amount of negative inputs in my life.

Avoid getting into a position where I am unable to walk away. (Which unfortunately happens at times due to my work situation at the moment)

Create my own definition of success in any of my projects.

Except that, I will be lonely and it is not all bad.

Be more of a believer, not a cynic.

Accumulate less stuff, enjoy more life experiences.

Except that, sad but true: sometimes the people close to you will not understand.

Attack a few big projects at a time with lots of small steps.

Never be afraid, and not allow fears determine my decisions.

Pursue my life focused on creative work.

It's my journey and nobody else's.

And live life to the fullest as it is short. Live with urgency!




THE SERENITY PRAYER

GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY
TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE;
COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN;
AND WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

LIVING ONE DAY AT A TIME;
ENJOYING ONE MOMENT AT A TIME;
ACCEPTING HARDSHIPS AS THE PATHWAY TO PEACE;
TAKING, AS HE DID, THIS SINFUL WORLD
AS IT IS, NOT AS I WOULD HAVE IT;
TRUSTING THAT HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT
IF I SURRENDER TO HIS WILL;
THAT I MAY BE REASONABLY HAPPY IN THIS LIFE
AND SUPREMELY HAPPY WITH HIM
FOREVER IN THE NEXT.
AMEN.

--REINHOLD NIEBUHR