39 Feels Fine!

This weekend I entered the last year of my 30s.   

I admit to having some issues regarding the whole aging thing.   I  think it is mostly because I enjoy life so much I'm not to crazy about the passing of time.  I'm also not big on maturity, I may be 39 in body but I'm about 19 in my mind.  I think I get sillier and less serious with each passing year, which isn't a bad thing.

I was also lucky to have an absolutely fabulous birthday weekend.    I had a delicious breakfast at Tops Diner Saturday morning  

and then we went to the The New Brusnswick Kennel club dog show to see the Toy Group breeds.  I wore my Mischief Made me 1950s style dog tee since it seemed appropriate for the show.

The pugs and poodles where shown in the afternoon so we missed them.  Though we did see plenty of pugs in pens outside the breeder's RVs.  

  The best part was we got to see the Chihuahuas which is a breed I'm very interested in owning one day and the main reason I attend the show. The Chihuahua breeders and fanciers where lovely and let us attend their meeting, they where all members of the Central NJ Chihuahua club.  They were so kind and gave us lots of information about the breed.   

The accepted show size is  6 lbs and under and the good breeders breed to get dogs in about the 3 to 6 lb range.   So tiny, but some unscrupulous people try for much smaller, crazy!  

The main breeder we met also rescues large dogs and she recommended a dog 4 lbs or bigger for us when the time comes which I agree with.  It was wonderful to see breeders who love their breed so much and are really working to better it.  We also met the most adorable 4 month old puppy.  I was completely in love.

On Sunday we mostly stayed home with the dogs and cat's and I got my birthday present.  49 vintage Star Trek novels John found on ebay!  How awesome is that!

My favorite part was that someone named B.H. had owned some of the books and took notes and recorded ratings.  He or she gave several books 10 ++ ratings so I guess they are good.

I also found these two 1970s school pictures in one of the books, perhaps one of them is the elusive B.H.?  

I'm so pleased 39 is off to a fabulous start!

Product Review: Geeky Bandannas from Electrolucy

It's taking me a while to get around to writing this post, and not because I don't love the products I'm reviewing but just due to be being busy.  I ordered 3 bandanas from Electrolucy back in September for Fry's second birthday.  

I found the shop while doing a search for two of my favorite things on etsy Star Trek and dogs.   Electrolucy makes awesome geeky dog bandannas and collars with themes such as Harry Potter, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Sherlock Holmes and of course, Star Trek.  I ordered three Star Trek themed bandannas.


A Star Trek Dr. McCoy themed bandanna:

A Star Trek The Next Generation Wesley Crusher Bandanna:

A tribble themed bandanna:

The bandannas are all made of nice sturdy double sided fabric, with the design and wording stitched on. and a tie around the neck,.   I really like the neck ties as I find them quicker and easier to take on and off then bandannas that slide  over a collar.  Each bandanna comes in sizes small, medium, and large and retails for ten to 14 dollars, depending on size.     I ordered smalls and found them to be generously sized for the pugs, and perhaps a smidge to large on Tuvok.  

These bandannas are too cute and I definitely recommend checking out Electrolucy.

Norbert and his Dad

Our big guy is really starting to show his age lately.  Increased stiffness, more accidents at night, and all the other tough parts of old age.  The good news is he is still eating well and basically most of his complaints are a result of being 12 years old.  We love our big guy and hope to have a good bit more time with him.   Old age isn't for sissies and neither is watching our dog's age.

Everybodys All American-Vintage Pit Bull Photographer

As a dog lover and a vintage lover I like nothing more then looking at old pictures of dogs and their owners.  One breed I particularly enjoy gazing at, Pit bulls or any of their bully breed brethren.  I'm a bulldog lover, with an English bulldog and a Pitbull mix of my own, and I am constantly depressed by the unfair negative stereotype assigned to bulldog breeds and thus I love looking at pictures from the Pit Bull's hey day as the family dog.  This Fourth of July lets appreciate this all American dog and commit to helping to abolish the negative and untrue stereotypes that surround them. Below are some beautiful vintage photographs of Pit Bulls doing what they do best, companionship, from around the internet.

Poodle Parade

Although my favorite style decades are with out a doubt the 1920s and 30s, I do have a soft spot for the 1950s as well.  I particularly like the kitschier offerings from this era and as I'm obviously a dog nut I quite like the poodle home decor and accessories of the fifties.  Poodles experienced a rapid rise in popularity in the 1940s and 50s, becoming one of the most popular dog breeds in the country, and particularly beloved for their reputation of sophistication.  They where a standard in advertisements, illustrations, and fashion spreads of the era:


  
Image source

Image Source

Image Source

Gil Elvgren Illustration

The popularity of poodles lead to the creation of poodle lamps:

 salt and pepper shakers

skirts 

bookends

 

and purses.  

 I've wanted a poodle purse for awhile and I found a really cute  basket one on Etsy from PattiannPoodles.  She sells all sorts of adorable poodle stuff and shipment was super fast. 
 
 
I really like how the purse matches the dog print fabric on this dress I got onsale from Anthropologie.
 

 And yes there is a poodle (along with plenty of other breeds) on the Anthropologie dress, proof that poodle fashion hasn't disappeared entirely.   

Finally I have to share this photo of myself and my lovely friend Pat.  I wore the dress and the purse to a retirement party and got lots of compliments on the purse, thanks to PattiAnn.