Behold the candied violets and borage from last summer...
...and a dress to match. Sort of takes, "Matchy-Matchy" to a new level, dontcha think?
The cabin fever is setting in.
This was the first year I tried making candied borage, and I'm pleased with how they turned out. The cake is a white butter cake, and the frosting is buttercream with white chocolate and brandy. I can't decorate a cake to save my life (unless of course it is a novelty cake with someone vomiting or what have you) but the candied flowers do look pretty against the white frosting. Speaking of
frosting, we were surprised with a couple more inches of unexpected snow today. Danny has bird-banding tomorrow at the state park, so that ought to be good for catching them in nets-birds seem to like freshly fallen snow and an overcast day keeps them from seeing the net waving in the sunlight.
No, I didn't wear the shoes out-I already have a broken toe, I'm not trying for a hip.
I bought myself some tulips yesterday as mine are just starting to emerge from the pots where I've forced them. People ask about my wild tablecloths, but they're really little more than indoor/outdoor upholstery fabric that our Hancock always seems to sell in 3 yard remnants. That's enough to cover the table, and as a bonus-they're waterproof. After a few years of washing this one has lost some of the waterproof quality, but it could easily be re-sprayed with Scotchguard. These make excellent picnic blankets as well, particularly if the ground is damp. Typically, this sort of fabric runs about $5.00 a yard on sale, so it is competitive with buying a proper tablecloth.
I'm still fighting my hair. The only reason I haven't permed it is the memory of a bad perm in 1978 is still with me. It took years to finally grow out.
Outfit Particulars:
80's does 50's dress-Fairy Tail Costumes, Omaha
Shrug-Goodwill
Bangles-All over
Belt-Goodwill
Shoes-K Mart
Tights-Walgreen's
Necklace-Hand-Me-Ups
Earrings-Hand-Me-Ups
Brooches-Goodwill
Vintage box bag-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Worth Dans la Nuit (I had to keep with the violet theme!)
Tomorrow is the monthly Friends of the Library book sale at the Swanson branch in Omaha (if you're a local) so I'll be sending over heart shaped butter cookies decorated with royal icing. The book sale is weekly as well on Thursdays, but the big monthly Saturday sale is always fun. That's about all I have on for the weekend, but after this crazy week I'll be happy just to loaf about watching television.
The boys bought me a heavy, glass owl paperweight as a gift . I'm calling him "Onion Eyes" because they look like little boilers studded with peppercorns. This thing is heavy, and I'm thinking it could be a good weapon, in a pinch. Perhaps I ought to carry it in my handbag. "Look out, I'm armed with a glass owl!" I mean, just about everyone in Nebraska has a gun but how many people are packing an owl? Points for originality. At the moment he's residing on the piano beside the glass squirrel paperweight.
Owl right then...hope you have a lovely weekend.
Beautiful cake and beautiful dress. I think it's a good idea to match food with clothes. The perfect marriage. Don't perm your hair if you can help it. It's very pretty the way it is. I, too, have serious perm trauma. 1980. Oh. I can't even talk about it. I looked like Annie.
ReplyDeleteHigh tea is being served in Omaha! Candied flowers on the cake and a scrum of dainty enameled blossoms on the hostess, wearing an elegant frock with posh tights and heels! (Never mind the snow. This is all about thinking spring.)
ReplyDeleteOne of the worst symptoms of cabin fever is the urge to Do Something! This might be something as simple as buying tulips in bloom to inspire the bulbs in the pot to Do Something -- or a drastic as getting a perm when a perm is not needed.
Give the salon-quality mousse a trial. Just apply the glop and pull your damp locks back in big pin curls, securing them with the larger bobby pins. Allow the 'do to dry et voila!
Tulips and heather, brought up together...
ReplyDelete(Sorry, I couldn't think of a song with tulips and violets or borage.)
I am loving the matchy matchy!! I love that 80's does 50's watercolor-y purple pansied floral dress with the pale yellow cardigan. That looks like something I would have worn during my "pharmacist" years. I would have probably paired it with 'sensible' white Keds canvas oxfords with purple bobby socks instead of those daring pewter high heel sandals.
That cake looks & sounds divine!
Now Goody, repeat after me- WE DO NOT PERM - never ever ever! Unless you wish to sport a Dolezal 'fro ( & that's some seriously tragic cultural appropriation going on there) you do NOT need a perm. After Bibi's taking the GED on her 17th b-day, briefly joining the Navy, (long story but short Naval career or careen?) but before she went to pharmacy school, Bibi became a licensed cosmetologist at Frederico's Beauty College of Santa Rosa. Yes, I have attained that coveted status that entitles me to a Sally's discount along with the untold wisdom of 16 months of diligent beauty training. Anyhoo... get yourself a decent haircut, I'd suggest a shoulder length bob with some long layers, keep the long fringe in front, find a hairdresser that uses Redken EQ Shades Color Gloss to tone those grays down a bit. REQSCG is an acid demi (semi permanent)tint that will gradually fade with each wash but won't damage your hair. The best thing about REQSCG is that they are un-fuck-up-able! There's no overlap, no damage, you can just slop the stuff all over your head & wait 15-20 minutes "et voila" your color is refreshed root to tips. So you go to a great hairdresser & get your cut & have her/him pick a REQSCG color in some lovely rich brown (with not too much red but perhaps a smidge of violet). Have that hair dresser slap that tint on, see if you like the color. Your grays will show up lighter but should like one of those fancy expensive highlighter jobs with all the foils if the hairdresser is good with color. If you like the color go to Sleekhair.com & you can buy REQSCG, the developer for cheap & slop it on your head once a month saving oodles of $$$. I'm still asking around about good hot rollers, I have a GHD curling iron & straightener but those are $$$.
I'm looking at the REQSCG color chart & I'd put 6N on you which is 'Moroccan Sand' - (It's not a sandy color it's a natural brown with a blue violet base, I wouldn't want any red with your coloring) & I'd dilute half strength with the REQSCG clear because they do come up a little dark. I'm sure that's more of Bibi's opinion than you ever wanted! Sorry?!?
I have a Fenton candy dish that would go perfectly with that dress. Also, send cake.
ReplyDeleteI told you watch out for cabin fever!
ReplyDeleteStill, if all you've done is bake a cake and not murdered anyone or gone loop de loop then it's all good - isn't it? The cake is glorious and looks so delicious and is a wonderful match for the dress. I like the way you paired the dress with a sort of orangey/rust coloured top and the bangles are so pretty.
I love paperweights and the owl is so sweet!
Good luck to Danny and his bird banding xxx
Veronica
vronni60s.blogspot.com
@Connie
ReplyDeleteI once went to an open casting call for Annie. I was too old for the role of Annie, but I thought I might be able to snag an adult role. I stood around for a couple hours waiting to read, surrounded by little girls in red dresses with bad perms. It was the sort of trauma you never really get over.
@Beth
"The Aunts" (my grandmother's aunts that lived together with my great grandmother) would make a "high tea" as an afternoon meal to hold you over until supper. Typically it was something like an egg, fried in chicken fat and all of it poured over a piece of toast. I never saw any cake over there ;)
They both lived past 100 eating that way. The elder aunt had a habit of re-using a tea bag for days at a time, going so far as bringing it out to lunch with her, and ordering a pot of hot water.
@Bibi
Thank you. I'll take notes about the colour, though I don't see that in my immediate future-I just don't like dealing with it anymore. I ended up chopping several inches off my hair this morning, so I guess that removes the temptation to get a perm. I wouldn't mind some waves though...perhaps I could get it Marcelled ;)
@Propagatrix
Cake could be arranged via overnight post, though this one might be on the delicate side for shipping.
@Veronica
Well, the cabin fever hasn't got to Windigo Psychosis stage or anything, so I guess all is well!
I haven't tried to go matchy matchy with a cake yet, maybe that should go on my to do list for the year.
ReplyDeleteHigh tea *is* a hot meal to tide you over till dinner - 'high' refers to the fact it's served later in the afternoon than afternoon tea, not anything to do with poshness. It's usually a rustic/working people's meal, because when you've had a hard day in the fields or factory, you don't want to wail till 8pm to eat. Hence one way of gauging social class in Britain is whether people call their evening meal 'tea' or 'dinner'. A fried egg would fit perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI get very irate at people misusing the term 'high tea' to describe posh afternoon tea. I honestly can't follow people who consistently get it wrong on social media, it's such a bugbear of mine. I live with it with Americans, it's not their custom after all, but when Brits do it... KNOW YOUR CULTURE, YOU IMBECILES.
Ahem. The cake and you both look utterly scrumptious.
@Mim
ReplyDeleteIn the US, High Tea has become the accepted term for a fancy afternoon tea, and in recent years I've seen it applied to Cream Tea, which would probably make you head explode if you had to hear it over and over! There's a solid custom of tea houses on the East coast, but they tend to be rather spartan affairs where you serve yourself from large urns, and the fare is limited to nice sandwiches, and perhaps a plain sort of muffin or cake. This newer adoption of elaborate afternoon tea seems to be some sort of nostalgia for our colonial masters-probably derived from television or movies. Probably not Ken Loach movies. Just as the British think all Americans are The Simpsons, we think you're all in possession of titles of nobility.
I keep pointing out to Danny that although we all speak the same language, it should never be taken for granted that the meanings are the same. Sort of like the obviously pregnant woman standing up in art class asking if anyone had a "rubber" and being met with snickering and jokes about it being a "bit late" for that!
Cream tea is its own beast, and living in the West Country - the home of the cream tea - I get fed up of the fights. There are those who says you put cream on then jam, those who swear the jam has to go on first... the poor old Devon split is virtually unseen nowadays, but technically that's what you should have in a Devon cream tea, not scones. Tis a literal bunfight.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do elaborate afternoon tea. We've never done really elaborate afternoon tea, not the way the Americans do. For Brits, tea is not a formal occasion. I was listening to a chap on the radio the other day talking about the faux pas he made in the US when he was invited to a tea party so showed up in an ordinary shirt and trousers, only to see the men there were in suits and ties. FOR TEA. Chap in question is a bishop, so I doubt anyone was too rude about his clothes.