Kitchen Remodel Update and Brag

A few days ago I uploaded pics of our Wilson Art 'Betty' laminate counter top on Retro Renovation. Pam Kueber gives readers a chance to share their vintage finds and remodeling pics. Well, today she featured my photos and asked for the reader to come out of anonymity! Read the post here.

I first saw the Betty laminate on Pam's website this past January. You can see the original Retro Renovation post announcing the Wilson Art retro line here.

Pam's goal is to help people remodel Mid Century Modern homes in keeping with the original style. She also is all for 'saving the pink bathrooms."

I found this stainless steel retro bread box many years ago for fifty cents! The canister set I found at a local antique shop for about $30.

In a few weeks the final touches will be put on my kitchen. A door marred in installation will be replaced, a board will fill in the gap above the refrigerator and another to hide the under-counter light above the sink.

Then our contractor will have photographs taken for her portfolio.

My goal was a nod to the 1964 origins of our home--such as staying with slab cabinet doors--but with all the features of a modern kitchen. I added some bling by using spun aluminum lighting, drawer tab pulls, and of course that vintage canister set.

The back splash behind the range is all bling: Brushed steel mosaic tile!

I just love the kitchen. Thanks to Pam for all her inspiration.

Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford, or Can We Break the Glass Ceiling of Class?

We pretty much know who is in the upper class. They are the beautiful people who show up in the media. Their clothes are a story. Their faces are recognized by millions who have never met them. Or they have a name associated with old money, new money, ill begot money--any kind of money. And they hang with other famous, wealthy, beautiful people doing things and going places the rest of us can only dream about.

We want to find that fairy tale prince (or king or queen) who will marry us and magically make us 'one of them.' We imagine winning the lottery so we can buy the things they buy and go the places they go. Sometimes we even work hard and earn a position of importance with financial rewards that allow us to enter their world. Like Jay Gatsby we think we can buy our way into the right class of folk.

But is it possible to ever really fit in and be accepted into those upper echelons? Or will one always be seen as a wannabe? Can we really change our social status? Can we pass as one of them? Is it money that determines our class, or is it our manners? Or our values? What is class...and how do we get it?

Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford explores these issues.

Evelyn's mother Barbara rues marrying 'down'. Her husband's career as a lawyer may have brought financial reward, but he still thinks like a miner's son. Barbara has stressed that her daughter meets the 'right people', goes to the 'right places' and wears the 'right clothes.' She knows success is about appearances.

Class is not about money; it's all about style. And it's best not to try to ascend to the upper class...Because you'll never get it right. Paul Fussell (http://www.wksu.org/news/features/classinamerica/class-movement/index.html)

For years Evelyn eschewed her mother's advice. After she was sent to a private school and was befriended by some of the 'right' people she understood that the rich were different. She learned the right table manners and social behavior to fit in.

Although he can afford to support Evelyn, her dad insists she make her own way. She takes a job at "People Like Us", a start up social network focused on an elite clientèle, believing she could use her connections with the 'right sort' to advantage. Evelyn had to go to the right places, dress the right way, and hobnob with the right sort in her mission to enlist new members. Along the way she recreates herself, and her past, to advantage. She is selling herself as much as her product, and keeping up appearances costs her her 401K.

Evelyn believes she has been accepted into the fringes of the wealthy, beautiful people. Evelyn is taken up by one of the most beautiful and rich girls in society, whose actions from the get go show she is no beauty inside. Evelyn accepts the misuse and abuse, believing she is really valued.

She sees the glimmer, the shine, and the bling...and it blinds her.

The first part of the novel is slow going, a long build up establishing Evelyn and the main characters. Nothing really happens. One is ready to throw in the towel and move on. But the second part gathers speed as Evelyn loses her head, desperately gambling for a fairy tale ending. She loses her identity, her values, and finally her dignity. The climax is Evelyn's sordid fall and her betrayal of all who really cared for her. The third part concerns her reclamation.

Some of the characterizations don't completely work. Evelyn's boyfriend is mostly an accessory, although his story could have been one of the most poignant. Evelyn's best bud from school disappears; although he is instrumental in Evelyn's final decision he remains off camera and unresolved. Sometimes Evelyn is unbelievably dense.

But I found the premise interesting and after Evelyn starts spiraling down, ignoring all the warnings signs and friendly advice, the book moves along quickly.

The author has signed a movie deal. Most believe the book will make a better movie. I agree. I bet it will be a hit.

Read more about class in America:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/us/class/in-fiction-a-long-history-of-fixation-on-the-social-gap.html

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2012-09-12/richard-florida-creative-class/57767522/1

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Everybody Rises
Stephanie Clifford
St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: August 18, 2015
ISBN-10: 1250077176

• ISBN-13: 978-1250077172

• 
  

AQS Grand Rapids: A Wicked Good Time

I was able to spend two days at the American Quilt Society show in Grand Rapids, MI! One afternoon we viewed the main exhibit of contest quilts, and the next day we covered the special exhibits and vendor's mall. It was great running into many friends. How we find each other in the thousands of faces, I don't know, but we did!

You can see all of the winning quilts at the AQS website here. The Best of Show winner was Michigan's own Pat Holly! It is another stunning masterpiece in her India-inspired series.

Saffron Splendor by Pat Holly

Best Use of Color went to another Michigan quilter! Deborah S. Hyde of West Bloomfield's amazing Sam in Sunlight is a portrait of her son. Unforgeable.

Sam in Sunlight by Deborah S, Hyde

One of the special exhibits was The Wicked (TM) Cherrywood Challenge. Quilters had to use the 'Wicked' Green and black fabrics to make a 20" square quilt influenced by the musical Broadway hit--which I will remind you was based on the Gregory Maguire book. (I read the book and enjoyed its originality. But have not seen the musical.)

We voted on our favorite quilt, which was not an easy task. The voting box was so full we had to really shove our paper in. But one lucky quilter was going to win Cherrywood fabric, so we were all motivated to vote!

Keeping on theme... first time quilter and retired elementary school teacher Janet Schug entered her first quilt, The Journey Home based on Frank L. Baum's The Wizard of Oz. Janet say it represents her journey into new beginnings as well as the journey of others.

Janet Schug and The Journey Home

The blocks have a delightful unsophistication, while incorporating careful fabric choices and placement. Janet told me she hand stamped each letter of the words one by one. 

 Janet eagerly told viewers that if one can dream it one can do it, and that she is the living example.

Downtown Grand Rapids is an exciting place to be. We could look across the river to see the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and the Van Andel Public Museum. A few blocks in the other direction was the Grand Rapids Art Museum. We ate at the B.O.B. I learned that meant Big Old Building!

the view from my room

 I have lots more to tell about my trip. So watch for other posts to come.

How The Jubilee Singers Saved Fisk

Give Me Wings: How a Choir of Former Slaves Took on the World by Kathy Lowinger is a beautiful, informative, and inspiring book for readers ages 11 to 14.

Lowinger presents the story of Ella Sheppard who was born a slave. Ella's father bought her freedom, but her mother was considered 'indispensable' and was not for sale. Her father struggled to provide for the family but managed to give Ella a piano and music lessons. She yearned for an education and applied to and was accepted to the Fisk Free Colored School.

The school was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Then came the idea of concerts to raise money. Ella led the school choir, consisting of mostly former slaves, in performing Esther, the Beautiful Queen. Audiences were not impressed and donations were scanty. People expected a minstrel show!

One day Ella had the choir sing Steal Away and discovered that audiences were moved by the slave songs which the freed blacks wanted to leave behind in the past.

Changing their repertoire to Spirituals and finding a promoter in Henry Ward Beecher the choir's success as The Jubliee Singers took them to meet the Queen of England and earned Frisk $20,000. The school was saved. Today Fisk University lists among its graduates W.E.B DuBois, Ida B. Wells, Nikki Giovanni and the Honorable John R. Lewis.

Moving stories illustrate the prejudice the Jubilee Singers had to contend with. When they were introduced by General Fisk himself he noted the singer's values before emancipation and commented that after the audience heard their voices they would agree they were vastly undervalued. In England their introduction warned the audience not to expect sophisticated artistry. After the concert a lady from the audience told Ella that if that wasn't artistry, she didn't know what was.

This book includes side bar stories on slavery and historical background to the story. I suggest that the descriptions of slavery may be upsetting to early elementary readers. At any age, it is upsetting to read about! A timeline is included and further reading suggestions. We learned what happens in the people's later lives. Full color illustrations appear on nearly every page.

I was very impressed with this beautiful book.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for  fair and unbiased review.

Give Me Wings: How a Choir of Former Slaves Took On The World
Kathy Lowinger
Annick Press
Publication August 18, 2015
$21.95 hard cover
ISBN: 13:9781554517473
ePub: 13: 9781554517480
PDF: 13: 9781554517497

+++++

I wrote about Lucy McKim Garrison who collected and published the first slave songs here.
And the The Book of American Negro Spirituals here.

More "Row By Row" Rows...

from Heritage Quilt Shop, Gladwin, MI

from The Pincushion in Imlay City MI

The waterlily and fish Row by Rows are quickly made up with fusible applique. I don't usually work with fusible so the challenge is learning to keep my iron, scissors, and hand sticky-free.

from Quilted Nine Patch, Romeo, MI

I have enough rows made to create several wall hangings. I believe I will set them with pieced blocks not solid sashing.

Waiting are four more rows: Surrey Rd. Quilt Shop in Clare, Stitchin' at the Barn in Imlay City, Sew What in Wyandotte, Quilter's Gardne in Fenton. AND my brother picked up three more rows for me while he was Up North!

When they are all finished I will decide which are going to go together. But there is another month to collect them!

Toadstool Fantasy Quilt from 1976

Talk about retro! The June 1976 issue of Quilt World included a pattern by Pauline W. Rogers. The first patterns were in the March-April issue of that year. I remember when mushrooms were a big design element in home decorating. This pattern sure brings back memories.

You Love His Music--The Great Unknown Harold Arlen

from my personal collection

from my personal collection

One of America's most beloved songs is Somewhere Over the Rainbow. It was cut from the film but director Arthur Freed insisted it was returned. MGM executives thought the barnyard scene was ugly, the song slowed the picture down, and the idea was too sophisticated for the general public. Freed insisted it was Rainbow or him.

The next screening of the movie the song was back in. 

The movie ended. The audience was silent, then broke into applause and cheers. 

Judy Garland's interpretation of the song was so good people believed she was singing from the heart in her own words. The song became associated with Garland. 

Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and all the Wizard of Oz songs, were written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics by E. B. 'Yip' Harburg.

Arlen also wrote the music to:

image from Amazon

image from Songbook

from my personal collection

from my personal collection

image from eBay

from my personal collection

Image from Amazon

from The National Museum of Play

Judy Garland loved Arlen's songs even before Wizard. She performed Stormy Weather at her famous Carnegie Hall concert of 1961. What was not included on her best selling album of that concert was her calling for Harold Arlen to stand up to be recognized for having written the music.

Arlen, biographer Walter Rimler contends, was an unknown man during his life and remains unknown today--in spite of having written some of the most beloved, ground-breaking, and complex songs.

Reading The Man thatGot Away was glorious fun. The whole early Twentieth Century musical world appears, from Tin Pan Alley to Paul McCarthy. Arlen wrote for Broadway revues, Cab Calloway at the Cotton Club, Ethel Waters, Judy Garland, for Hollywood including The Cabin in the Sky, The Wizard of Oz, and Gay
Purr-ee (which I loved as a girl).

Arlen was born Hyman Arluck, son of a Yiddish-speaking cantor in Buffalo, NY. He grew up in a mixed neighborhood and was drawn to jazz and gospel music. He competed at amateur nights and played piano at the burlesque house. He organied a local group then in his early twenties published his first song. 

His parents were not amused, and asked Jack Yellon (author of Happy Days are Here Again and Ain't She Sweet) to “talk sense” into their son. After hearing Arlen play, Yellen called the rabbi and advised he admit defeat: his son was going to be a musician like his old man. Just different music.

Arlen went to New York City where he met Ray Bolger. Arlen's group made records that caused Bob Crosby to consider him “one of the best stylists” he ever heard. From there Arlen went on to write for Broadway. After floundering he met Vincent Younmans who brought Arlen up to speed on the music scene and modern styles.

It was a pivotal moment in American pop music with the rise of Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Oscar Hammerstein, the Gershwin brothers, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael and Yip Harburg.

Arlen wrote Get Happy with Ted Koehler. He realized his future was not in performance; he was a song writer. He could tap into mystical inspiration and summon music. He was writing for a commercial market, but he knew he was creating “art.”

image from Ruth Etting website

Johnny Mercer founded Capitol Records which changed music. Now artists didn't need to wait for a Broadway show or a movie contract to premiere their songs. It also meant the demise of the Tin Pan Alley style of songwriting.

Arlen meet the love of his life, a beautiful seventeen-year-old chorus girl Anya Taranda. His Jewish parents and her Russian Orthodox family kept them from marrying. When an undiagnosed brain tumor caused personality changes in Anya, Arlen struggled in his marriage and drank to excess, but they never divorced.

His friends considered Arlen a decent and kind man who wanted fame but didn't like the limelight. He helped Judy Garland with her medical bills. He shared his home with his parents and his unemployed brother and his family.

Arlen's musical compositions reflected his wit and humanity and his tendency toward depression. His life had its challenges: disapproving parents, an ill wife, the lack of work or lyricists to work with, his alcoholism. His later years brought Parkinson's disease.

Arlin always had the regard of his peers. Paul McCarthy bought the rights to Arlen's songs and published The Harold Arlen Songbook. NPR celebrated his 80^th birthday with his songs. And if at his 1986 death few Americans knew his name his music is beloved.

I thank the publisher and NetGalley for a free ebook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

The Man that Got Away; The Life and Songs of Harold Arlen

by Walter Rimler

University of Illinois Press

Publication August 2015

$29.95 hard bound

ISBN:978-0-252-03946-1