SURPRISE!

The beginning of the school year is really tough and stressful for me so imagine my surprise when I get home from my first long, exhausting, crappy day of work to find this sitting on my front porch. I love happy surprises!! As I'm writing this, I'm starting to think about all the nice things that my fella does for me.... washing my car, sending me a subscription to Atomic Ranch Magazine, dinners, back rubs, opening the car door for me, grilled cheese sandwiches, holding my purse....hehehehe..... he looked really cute holding my lucite purse! I'm not gonna say he doesn't say or do stupid things from time to time...after all he's a man and that's part of the requirements for being a man..right?? hehehe But, he does more nice things for me then he has ever done bad and most of the time he leaves me with a smile on my face. Thank you Fella!

Little Atomic House

Who wants to buy MaryDeluxe a cute little Atomic ranch?? Anybody? Anybody??? Dang, I didn't think so. Why oh why God do you have to torment me with awesome houses I just can't have?? If I could buy this cute little house, I would be such a happy little clam. Really I would! How cute is this??? Gosh, if only this little atomic gem was closer to me. Oh, and of course if I didn't have a house already!

I would invite you all over and we could have a patio party! If only I could go to the auction. But dang, I have to be arm candy for the fella tomorrow at a wedding. DANG!!!! I hope some cool atomic retrophile gets this place as it would be very sad to see this AMAZING kitchen be torn out!

OMG is that not the most fab pink kitchen you've ever seen! And check out that oven!!! Okay the wall paper has got to go but I bet that floor is looking mighty keen.

VALUABLE BEAUTIFUL HAMBURG RANCH STYLE HOME, HOUSEHOLD GOODS, TOOLS, 1994 BUICK LA SABER SEDAN CAR

SATURDAY AUGUST 29^TH, 2009

AT 9:00 A.M.

LOCATED AT 263 NORTH 4TH STREET, HAMBURG, PA. 19526, BERKS COUNTY

LOOK FOR AUCTION SIGNS

REAL ESTATE CONSISTS OF A 1 STORY RANCH STONE AND FRAME HOME, HOME CONSISTS OF KITCHEN W/BUILT IN BREAKFAST NOOK, LARGE L SHAPED LIVING ROOM W/LARGE WINDOWS COSTUME MADE DRAPES CARPETED W/FIREPLACES AND BUILT IN AIR CONDITIONER, 3 – BEDROOMS W/CLOSETS AND OAK HARDWOOD FLOORS, FULL BATHROOM, PLASTER WALLS, BASEMENT HAS FINISHED REC. ROOM AND FIREPLACE, POWDER ROOM, STORAGE AREA, EFM OIL HOT AIR FURNACE, 1 CAR ATTACHED GARAGE, BEAUTIFUL REAR PATIO, BOROUGH WATER AND SEWERAGE, BOROUGH OF HAMBURG, LOT SIZE 60’ X 121’, HAMBURG AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THIS HOME IS IN CLEAN MOVE IN CONDITION, WITH BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING.

To see more pictures of the house: Hamburg Atomic House

Jasper

I came home to find a stray cat on my front porch. Do I really need another cat right now God?? No, I don't but there he was hiding behind my planter and chair. My neighbor next door is the one who pointed the cat out to me and told me when she came home she noticed it hiding and thought it might be mine. She later discovered that the neighbor on the other side of her is responsible for it. Apparently, the teen daughter brought it home without permission and the parents put it out on the street. It then somehow knew to go hide on the poor cat sucker's front porch! This is what makes me so angry!! If I was a parent, I would make my daughter take that cat right back to where she got it from and if she couldn't take it back, I would make her call around to the animal shelters till she found a place for it. No, instead these idiots toss it into the street, teaching their teen daughter that she doesn't need to be responsible for her actions. If you don't want something toss it away and someone else will come along and take care of your problem. I hope to hell I don't come home one day to find one of their gazillion kids sitting on my front porch because they just don't want the responsibility anymore! Then I got pissed off even more because as I was outside with the cat they came out and their 4 year old son started yelling, look there's my cat. So, I said, is this your cat and they completely ignored me and got in the car and left. WTF people?? Ignoring your problems won't make them go away and it only pissed me off more. For the time being "Jasper" is hanging on the front porch because I have no where to put him and I have no idea what to do with him.

A Few Thoughts

1. Not only was today back to work for me but it's also back to eating healthy and exercising. For some reason I always fall of the healthy living wagon once summer vacation hits. I don't go to the gym, eat like crap and gain 5lbs! Now that school has started again, I will run around for another year like a chicken with it's head cut off. I barely sit down all day and then after work I go to the gym to do some running or some form of cardio just to relieve all the built up stress of my day. So, am I a little freaked out I gained 5 lbs over the summer? Nope, because I know with my crazy schedule, I'll lose 15lbs by the end of the school year and none of my clothes will fit again. I don't know about the rest of you gals out there but I will fluctuate in my weight and often hit weird plateaus where I stay for a while no matter how much I eat or don't eat. I'm sure my Hypothyroid issues don't help this matter. I have learned in my 30's to be more accepting of my body and I figure, I'll just get to where I want to be eventually, what's the rush! It's okay to fall off the healthy living wagon every now and then.... the important part is that you do eventually get back on it again.

2. How the heck did I get 100 lovely DeluxeVille followers?? How cool is that?? I would have to say very cool! I would like to say a big Thank You to everyone who takes time out of their busy schedules to take a gander at my ramblings and leave comments! I think having 100 fabulous DeluxeVille followers is a reason to celebrate and I will be taking this into consideration the next few days as I am sitting through meeting after boring meeting at work! All I will say is major awards/prizes will be given out shortly ...stay tuned for further details.

Busty Advice

My new Whirling Turban dress came the week I was on vacation and I was so excited to get home to open my package. Very well made and I love it! The color is much brighter then pictured and I'm gonna need a little extra help to fill out the bust area as it's just a weee bit big. Do any of you use a certain product to get a little more volume out of your girls?? Please share your secrets!!!


EDIT: I just went back and checked the Whirling Turban site and discovered these instructions to help adjust the cup size...which is my problem!

What to do if the cups are just a little too big on you:

"Cookies" are small push up pads that are sometimes put into a removable pocket in the lower part of a bra or else can be purchased by themselves (well, in a pair) in a well-stocked bra or foundations department.

They are not “falsies”. They are about the size of a small cookie (imagine that!) and all they do is to push some of the flesh curve on the under side of your breast to the upper side of your breast, so that the breast clings attractively to the upper part of the bodice.

Push up pads do the same thing but just tend to be a bit larger. They have different shapes, some also pushing both the outer lower breast AND the middle lower breast up.

The best thing to do is to try them on with our dresses, since we do our best to design our “BUILT” bodices so that they are both the dress and the bra. Take that dress right into the foundation department, ask the clerk for some push up pads and cookies, and go in the fitting room to and see what works best for you with the dress.

Whirlingturban assures you (with considerable authority) that this is what makes the Hollywood glamour queens what they are (or appear to be.) It’s that little bit of extra effort and expertise more than it is “extra generosity doled out to certain dolls from That Big Production Line In The Sky”!

So, take the time and invest in your shelf!

And don’t forget to use tiny safety pins or hand tack those cookies or pads in place in your dress before nights of abandon on the town!

The Box Boys

I'm living in a box....I'm a living in a cardboard box...

~The DeluxeVille Parking Lot Kitties~

Mr Pushy

Mr Runty

Perhaps it is time I gave them real names?? I have just been refusing to give them proper names because I so don't want to get attached to them. Oh well, I'm attached, lets name them....who has any ideas for names???

Mr. Runty isn't very runty anymore and Mr. Pushy isn't very pushy. Mr. R loves to explore and he's a very handsome fella indeed. Mr P is shy but sweet.

I hope I can find a good home for them as I would really like to keep them together.

Surfs Up

This pretty much sums up my week! I accomplished little more then sitting/laying on my arse, reading, swimming, and getting to much sunshine. Oh well, back to work next week for me. Should be another busy school year!

She Sells Sea Shells By The Sea Shore

I'm off for vacation number two tomorrow! This time I'm taking a road trip to the sea shore in North Carolina, the Cape Hatteras area with my whole family. It's been so long since I've been to the sea shore...I love the sea shore so I'm super excited to be on my way. My plan for the week is simple... sleep, swim, read, sun, sand, swim, eat, swim, did I mention swim, swim, read, walk the shore, try to annoy my brother....you know, all that good sea shore stuff! I'm also going to take some time to think about my life. I think the best time to think about the direction that your life is taking is when you're actually away from your life for a little while. I think I need a new perspective on what I want my life to be. Life is so very short after all, you shouldn't be afraid to live it because you will end up missing out on so many things and people.

Have a lovely week everyone!

xoxo
MaryDeluxe

RIP Les Paul

Listerine presents: The Les Paul & Mary Ford Show: World Is Waiting For The Sunrise. One of their many 5 minute episodes.

The Boys

Vintage Dressing Rooms

I'm a lucky girl because I live alone, I can turn a spare bedroom into a dressing room. My house is small, small, small. We're talking tiny here....1,000 square feet of living space, give or take some. This tiny little room is called a crib room. I guess because it's only big enough for a crib! Makes a great dressing room for me though! A girl has just gotta have her own space and I would like to say that I really have downsized over the years on my vintage clothing. I know that some people like to hoard and keep it ALL for themselves but I'd rather put all the stuff I don't want anymore back out into circulation. It's good for my vintage karma and my wallet!

~DeluxeVille~

More Aunt Dot

As you all know, Aunt Dot turned 98 this past Sunday and according to my cousin Sheri, she wanted to do two things for her birthday.... eat pizza and take a ride in a convertible. Hey, I told you my great aunt dot is super sassy mixed with a bunch of spunky too! Remember, it's the simple things in life that mean the most. Hmmm maybe when she turns 100 she'll want to go sky diving?

Aunt Dot eating her birthday pizza!


Aunt Dot in her super hot convertible!
Photos provided once again by my also sassy cousin Sheri! Thanks Sheri!

I totally think Aunt Dot had the best birthday ever! You go Aunt Dot!

Tropical Look

Top: Black Peasant top/ Mode Merr
Skirt: Tiki Hawaiian Vintage Wrap skirt /Memories
Shoes: Black Wedge with Flower/ Anthropologie
Jewelry: Bakelite Bangles, West Germany fruit necklace
The Weather: Tropical, so humid I can't breath!

Mad Hatter: Part Two

Well, other then my dear aunt Dot post, I bet you are getting pretty sick of seeing all the wonderful places I have to shop for vintage clothing. So, in this post, I'm highlighting a shop that specializes in vintage household items! This little shop is located once again in the Mad Hatter in Adamstown, PA. I have no idea the name or owner of this shop, but I have bumped into her once or twice and she is super cool. What I love best about her store is her huge variety of everything you could imagine in ways of retro house hold items and all the colors! On to the eye candy!

The Mad Hatter: Part One

The Mad Hatter

The Mad Hatter is an antique Mall that is housed in an old hat building. Hence the name, Mad Hatter! The MH I think, is one of the best antique malls around. All the stands are filled with incredible things and it's hard for me to choose my favorites. So, I will limit myself to two. Yes, that's right, I said two. This is an incredible feat on my part let me just say.

The first is a vintage clothing shop, like you're so surprised at this one, called Memories. The shop is owned by Diane Impink. Some of you WWII folks might know Diane as she also rents out an air plane hanger during the WWII Weekend at Reading. Here's the sad news, Diane sells nothing online, the only place you can buy her vintage wares are at the air show or at her shop. I have known Diane for many years and I keep telling her she needs to open an online shop but she laughs and tells me she doesn't even own a computer. I will tell you something else about Diane, she has storage units full of vintage clothing and her shop is so packed with things that it can be a bit overwhelming. I've been trying to get Diane to adopt me but so far no luck!

I'm not gonna lie and tell you that her place doesn't overwhelm me too! She has soooooo much stuff and it's in boxes, bins, and racks. When I go to Diane's shop, I'm there ALL day. I kid you not. Diane is so great and I know she completely trusts me because she just lets me shop and do my thing! Adamstown is a great vintage shopping destination because the area is just full of antique malls and it's also conviently located just off of the PA turnpike. A great weekend getaway!

Memories.... A very basic website.

Memories
Mad Hatter Antique Mall
Route 272 & Willow St.
Adamstown, Pa
717-484-4057
Hours: Thurs-Sun 10-5

Happy Birthday Aunt Dot

I wanted to take a moment and wish my sassy, great aunt Dot a very happy 98th birthday!!!! This is probably who all the ladies in my family get a love of gardening from. Aunt Catherine and Aunt Dot were gardeners, Aunt Dot is still gardening, just on a smaller scale and at a much slower pace. Aunt Dot still lives on her own and acts more like she's 73 then 98! Hmmm, maybe someone should check her birth certificate? Much love to my great aunt Dot...you go girl!

Sassy Aunt Dot...photo by my cousin Sheri (she's sassy like aunt Dot too!)


Aunt Dot in 1915... (she has the big bow in her hair) Aunt Catherine is on the end.


My great great grandmother Catherine (McGarrity?) DeVine... Aunt Dot on the right with a hair bow again. Aunt Catherine on the left, my grandfather is the youngest in this picture (but not the youngest child), and my uncle Ed, front and center (I will always miss him) Not sure of the date: early 1900's. I wonder what story Great Great Grandma is reading??

Vintage JoAnn

VINTAGE JOANN

Another place I love to stop and shop when I'm in the town of Red Lion is Vintage Joann! Owned by none other then JoAnn Slaugh.... oh and by the way JoAnn, I LOVE your hair color! But what can I say DeluxeVille readers, I'm partial to redheads! Okay, back to vintage shopping. I have visited VJ many times and have always found a wonderful mix of vintage and modern vintage inspired items to pick through. Oh, and this past time, JoAnn had a basket of free rice krispie treats to munch on as you shop. Hello, yes I said free... who does that anymore? Of course I had to have one! Vintage JoAnn's is located in a very cute Victorian house and offers a wonderful, charming shopping experience. Whenever I visit, I just want to sit and relax in one of her oversized, fluffy chairs with the cat or the dog and read a book as I eat rice krispie treats! It's like a complete vintage, girly, zen experience. Oh, and trust me, there's no way you won't find one, two, three or four things to buy!

Vintage JoAnn... JoAnn's Blog!!

Vintage JoAnn
100 West Broadway
Red Lion, PA 17356
(717) 246-3818
Hours: Wed-Sat
12-6