Thursday, April 25, 2013

2014 Pinup Calendar

Almost 2 years ago I had an idea, and now it is a finished product that is amazing!!  The Sioux Empire Rock-a-Bettys are taking pre-orders for our 2014 Pinup Calendar and when you pre-order by 4/30 you will also get FREE SHIPPING!!!  This calendar is packed full of friends of mine, and all the proceeds will be used to fund scholarships for underrepresented women in South Dakota.  Just follow the link below and order one today!!!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

How to be Proud of Your Pink Kitchen

Photo: Imani Photography
To say that my house is unique is an understatement.  When I get an idea I tend to do it without too much thought or approval.  I've painted my living room turquoise, put a Mondrian mural in my basement, and put black wall paper in a bathroom.  But maybe the boldest move I have made in my home was to paint my kitchen cabinets pink.

I will forever remember the look on the paint desk clerk's face when I presented him with my selection of yellow, turquoise, pink, and black color chips.  His shock was more apparent when I told him I needed a gallon of each.  He asked what type of finish I would like and I replied that whatever he thought was best for a kitchen, oh.... and the pink was for my cabinets.  Now, I'm pretty sure at that moment he saw my wedding ring and immediately felt sorry for my husband.

Photo: Imani Photography
I could not wait to get started and as I painted over the white and replaced the contemporary neutral pulls with retro diner style ones I never once thought, "what will others think?"  I finished just in time to debut my new kitchen at my daughter's 1st Birthday.  Most of my friends are nuts like me, but I suddenly realized that I was going to have to justify my color palette.  W.W.O.T....What will others think?  The question that now seemed to follow me.

Soon after I finished my dream kitchen my dishwasher broke and a repair man had to come, then the sink was clogged and the plumber came, then the cable guy, and so on.  Each time a new handy man entered my home it was the same look at me, and then the same look of empathy for my husband.  I quickly realized that what others thought consisted of me being nuts and my husband being suppressed.

Now, I am fully aware that my tastes are not exactly the norm, and I am not at all surprised by the general shock about some of my decor and fashion choices.  The thing that really does surprise me is how afraid people are of standing out.  We live in a world where housing developments are told to choose earth tones, and there are 50 shades of beige to choose from when you want to redecorate.  Color is simply an accent, and standing out is almost always thought of as scary.  Our society has placed so much value on blending in that we are now offended when someone decides to take a risk with color and/or design.  What would others think?!

As I continue to decorate my house, and now try my hand at retro landscaping I am completely aware that my home is a realtor's nightmare.  But it is my dream.  And for me, it is much more fun to live my dream and be proud of my pink kitchen than to just blend in.





 

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Did You Know....

I am the proud owner of numerous Helpful Hint books from many different time periods.  They always make me smile, and some of them are actually very helpful!!

Here are some helpful hints and facts on how to be a happy homemaker!!

Did You Know....

....a peeled raw potato kept in the refrigerator will absorb all odors.

....when ironing a dress with several rows of ric rac close together if you turn the dress inside out and iron on a bath towel it will look very neat on the right side when finished.

....a small pad dipped in nail polish remover will quickly remove crayon marks on windows or woodwork.

....to make homemade modeling clay use 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup salt, a teaspoon of alum, and about 1/2 cup of water.  Mix this until it is workable.  Different colors may be made by the use of cake coloring, or crepe paper dropped into the water before it is added.

....a nice gift for a music teacher is a white apron embroidered with music symbols.  For mothers a pink crisp apron, beruffled on each pocket, and embroidered with the word Mother and the names of her children.

facebook.com/RoxyBammBamm




Monday, April 22, 2013

Bottles, Babies, and Garter Belts

Let's face it.  There is nothing glamorous about being a mother.  I suppose if you have a nanny and scheduled cocktail hour maybe it's possible, but for the rest of us it's a life of runny noses, potty training, and play dates.  When you have a child, suddenly you are no longer labeled as a lady, you are now a mom.  This is something that I have struggled with since giving birth to my daughter 19 months ago.  As a mom you carry a diaper bag instead of a purse, you refrain from any jewelry that can be pulled on, and your morning routine becomes a 5 minute shower and tinted moisturizer.

After I realized that the above was my new normal, I decided to make it my mission to find new ways to stay true to myself and still be a mom.  I may not fit in with the PTA or Mommy and Me groups, but I'm happy!

First things first.  When it comes to your home, remember that you do not have to paint everything pastel and put teddy bears in every room.  Babies are stimulated by bright colors and bold patterns so there is no reason to force butter yellow on them.  My daughter successfully survived a 1950s crib with cowboys and girls on it, and her walls are covered with fine art that is stimulating and fun to look at.  In my opinion you don't create a tranquil environment with paint colors, you do so with your actions and temperament.  Your surroundings are constantly affecting your mood and how you feel about yourself.  If you are in an environment that you are proud of and like, than it's seems only reasonable that you will be more comfortable.  My home decor is not exactly child friendly by definition.  I have glass top tables from the 60s and lamps with the original cords from the 50s.  But I never once changed a thing in my home.  Instead, I have made it child friendly by teaching my daughter how to act around these items.  My home is part of who I am as a person, and I was just not ready to trade in my "danger" items for padded foot stools and puffy couches.

Enough about my home.  One of the hardest things I had to do was trade in my purse collection for a diaper bag.  If I had $250 - $500 to spend on one this would have been much easier.  But I had $100 and found that I was going to have to accept my new accessory and deal with it.  I settled on a somewhat generic bag that was decorated with lime green circles, and it wasn't too bad.  But then I found a bag that made much more sense.  I found the Lux de Ville Atomic Collection.  Not only was this bag my style, but it was under $100 and had plenty of room for everything I needed to carry.  This purchase also made me look at motherhood differently.  I didn't have to buy maternity clothes, diaper bags, and mom jeans.  I could wear wiggle dresses, push up bras, and even garter belts if I wanted.  I was suddenly a mom, but nothing else had changed.

Photo: Roy Varga
Since becoming a mother I have embraced pinup photography, burlesque, and having a glass of wine before bed.  I always knew that I wanted to try pinup modeling, but it wasn't until I had a child that I got the guts to do it.  Suddenly I was living a life where makeup and heels were not part of my daily routine, and pinup gave me a reason to need them again.  It also gave me proof that I still had it.  I may have gained some weight, some stretch marks, and some wrinkles, but I could still get dolled up and feel sexy.  And on the plus side I happily moved up to a DD cup after having a baby!

Whether you are a mother or not, the lesson here is to embrace yourself and do things your own way.  My house is the way I like it, I am raising my daughter according to my own rules, and I'm embracing my interests and my curves.  I may not look like Elizabeth Taylor every day, but I do make time for dancing in my living room and practicing pinup poses in the bathroom mirror.  I take my daughter to swimming lessons in my bombshell swimming suit, and I am proud to wear my red lipstick in family photos.  Now if I could just find a 1959 Chevy wagon!!


facebook.com/roxybammbamm