The Thin Man - Not Exactly A Christmas Movie

Every December I post about one Christmas movie that I try to see each year.  Last year it was The Man Who Came To Dinner.  The year before that it was Christmas in Connecticut.

Ok, so The Thin Man is not exactly a Christmas movie, but it does have a funny Christmas morning scene in it. I have been thinking about it ever since I had a conversation with one of my friends (Lori you know what I'm talking about).  I found out she had never seen this movie.  And that is very sad and has to be remedied right away.  And that goes for everybody who hasn't seen it.

This is a comedy-mystery film made in 1934 based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett.  I just love this era in films with it's sophisticated comedies, beautiful black and white photography, and gorgeous costumes.  This film stars Myrna Loy and William Powell as Nick and Nora Charles and Skippy as their dog Asta.  

The book description sums it all up. - Nick and Nora Charles are Hammett's most enchanting creations, a rich, glamorous couple who solve homicides in between wisecracks and martinis.

Nick is a retired detective and his wife Nora comes from a very wealthy family.  The movie starts as the couple has just traveled by train from the West Coast I believe back to New York, where Nick used to work.  His old associates beg him to come back and help out with one more murder case.  The "thin man" is missing and Nick, Nora, and Asta will work together to solve this mystery!

This Christmas morning scene involves a mink coat, a BB gun, a tree decorated with tinsel and balloons, and lots of cocktails!

All photos from thethinman1934.com

Every time I watch this movie it makes me laugh.  Along with the other great comedies of that time like His Girl Friday and It Happened One Night, the dialogue is witty and fast.  Sometimes you have to watch these films a couple of times to catch up with all the mayhem and hear all the jokes.

Amazingly this film was shot in twelve days.  And it was released only four months after The Thin Man book by Dashiell Hammet was released.  It was so popular that five sequels came after it:

After The Thin Man (1936)

Another Thin Man (1939)

Shadow Of The Thin Man (1941)

The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)

Song Of The Thin Man (1947)

So put The Thin Man and the sequels on your Christmas list!

Twas The Night Before Christmas Pajamas

Every year, either I or Santa , make sure there are new "jammies" under the tree for my daughter.  And this year she really needs them.  She's grown out of everything.  The poor thing has been squeezing into pajamas that seemed to fit yesterday, but are suddenly too small.  How did that happen?

Well, there certainly are some fun choices out there with the themes she loves.  Blue cats, teddy bears  and cute R2D2.

I have a hard time getting her to wear slippers, but I thought these Sully and Hello Kitty slippers are so adorable I might be able to convince her to wear them:)

Twas the night before Christmas Pajamas by debralynn5 featuring a food & drink

Visiting The Crown & Crumpet For Tea In San Francisco

A long time ago I discovered a delightful Tea Salon called the Crown & Crumpet while looking at a magazine.  I forgot about it and came across the website by accident one day and posted about it in Time For Tea, back in 2011.  But since it is in San Francisco, I didn't know when or if I would ever get a chance to go there.  Then one day my sister decided to move from Hawaii to San Francisco.  This year she invited my daughter and myself to spend Thanksgiving with her.

So I finally got my chance to go visit the Crown & Crumpet!  Unfortunately I missed their first incarnation at the Ghirardelli Square.  They have relocated to a smaller venue in the New People Building in the Japantown neighborhood of San Francisco.  It may be a mini version of their original Tea Salon, but it is still a spirited, delicious, and sometimes cheeky place, serving the world's most popular drink - second only to water (as the owners Amy and Christopher Dean say).

Sandra and I at The Crown & Crumpet.

My daughter, Sandra, was not the least bit interested in taking photos.  She was seriously focused on her goodies that arrived with her Nursery Tea.  She loved the fact that she got her own little teapot of fruit tea with her own mini-three-tiered stand of treats.  And the tea was pink!

My nephew, Philip, and my sister, Jackie.

We dragged my poor nephew along.  A tea salon is, well.... not his cup of tea.  He was a good sport about it, but he refused to drink tea.  Luckily for him they have more beverage choices.  He decided on a cappucino.

My sister, Jackie and I, ordered the Afternoon Tea.  We chose the Crown & Crumpet Private Blend of tea.  It is described as a full bodied tea with toasty notes from Darjeeling, maltiness from Assam and lively flavor from Ceylon.  Worthy of any Royal table.  I have to agree. And we were so lucky to arrive when the scones were fresh out of the oven.  They were so delicious!  Everything was.

If I get a chance to go again, I think I will try the Marie Antoinette Tea.  

Rumour has it this was Marie Antoinette's favorite.  Let this relaxing blend of bergamot, blue mallow and roses be the perfect tea for eating cake! - Crown & Crumpet

Hot Spiced Cider

The holidays are upon us and I just love the aroma of spiced cider simmering on the stove.  It makes the whole house fragrant with holiday joy and the anticipation of Santa!

The Betty Crocker Cookbook was my very first cookbook.  I remember asking for it one Christmas.  And it's always fun to go back to the old classics.

Here's a Betty Crocker recipe for Hot Spiced Cider.

6 cups apple cider
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cinnamon sticks

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat ingredients to boiling over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes.  Before serving, strain cider mixture to remove cloves and cinnamon, if desired.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Hot Spiced Cider by debralynn5 featuring a coffee grinder

Decorating Your Vanity With MAC

I wanted to thank a customer of mine, Jennifer from Louisville KY, for sending me photos of the Purple MAC Lipstick Print she ordered from me.  She has decorated her vanity with it and it looks great.  I love to see how customers have decorated their spaces with my prints!

Purple MAC Watercolor Print - also available in 8 1/2 in. x 11 in.

Thank you Jennifer, your vanity looks lovely!

Sale This Week At Jessica Cangiano's Etsy Vintage Shop!

In the spirit of Halloween, Jessica Cangiano has put everything in her store on sale for 31% off. This is the deepest discount she's ever offered to date in the shop and it will be the only sale before the Christmas season rolls around, so if you've been eyeing something (or ten things!) over at Chronically Vintage on Etsy, now is definitely the time to buy!

Isn't this scarf cute?

ON SALE - Rare vintage Vera It's Raining Cats and Dogs scarf - cute 1950s 60s hand rolled novelty print cat and dog scarf with umbrellas - on sale for $26.22

Dia De Los Muertos Halloween Makeup Tutorial

So while all the other little girls are running around wanting to be princesses and unicorns for Halloween, my little girl wants to be a Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) girl for Halloween.

We've gone to two Fall Festivals already, so I'm getting some practice at doing the makeup.  The first day I was really rushed to get her ready for her school Fall Festival.

My daughter Sandra and I at her school Fall Festival.

The next day I had a little more time to perfect my makeup job.  So here is a little timeline of photos:

Tools used: Hot rollers, vampire Halloween makeup, Claire's eye glitz, a black kohl eyeliner pencil, an old lipstick brush, and some makeup sponges.

We used a makeup sponge to apply the white Vampire Halloween makeup all over the face.

Then I used a lipstick brush to apply the black Vampire Halloween makeup around the eyes and nose.  I used an eyeshadow sponge applicator and the red Vampire makeup to apply the little red heart on the forehead.

I continued with the red around the eyes and above the heart.  Adding some Claire's red and black eye glitz for a little shimmer.

I went in with some more black for details.  We added flowers on her cheeks and did her lips in red, lining them with black.  Extend the black lines away from the mouth and make the "stitches".  Final step apply some cosmetics glitter to highlight the heart and red dots around the eyes, as well as the nose.  I just used my ring finger to apply the glitter.

All dressed up and at the second Fall Festival.  

Profile shot to show the flowers on the cheeks.

In front of one of the little "coffin" cars that were in the Halloween Parade.

There you go, a Dia De Los Muertos Makeup Tutorial.  The hard part is keeping your child still long enough to put the makeup on!!

Early Happy Halloween Everyone!

Fashiony Fab Sponsor

I've just become a sponsor for the lovely Maru Ramirez over on her blog Fashiony Fab. She's a lot of fun to work with and has a beautiful blog. You should check it out.

Fashiony Fab

Boots & Bags

Now that it has cooled down from 90 degrees to a mere 79 degrees, I am optimistically thinking of Fall.  Boots are number one on my cool weather list.  I can't say cold weather, because cold around here is usually only 60 degrees.  I know that will just make people laugh, who experience real cold weather.

Boots & Bags by debralynn5 featuring genuine leather handbags

Jimmy Choo And Louis Vuitton Shoe Watercolor Prints

Can a girl have too many shoes?  I don't think so.  Here's a pair that won't take up room in your closet.

This watercolor print of a Jimmy Choo shoe that I painted in Burnt Sienna is available in my Etsy Shop in two sizes:  8 1/2 inch x 11 inch or 5 inch x 7 inch.

I also painted a black and red ruffle Louis Vuitton shoe.

8 1/2 inch x 11 inch Watercolor print

and

5 inch x 7 inch Watercolor print

Have a fashionable day ladies!

New Butter London Watercolor Prints!

I finally listed all the Butter London Nail Polish watercolor prints in my Etsy shop.  I started them a while back, but had to keep putting them aside to work on other things.  So for all of you who love a mani-pedi, these will be the perfect prints for you!  Decorate your vanity area, powder room or your night stand.

Single Red Butter London Print

Single Blue Butter London Print

Single Yellow Butter London Print

Single Pink Butter London Print

Single Robin's Egg Blue Butter London Print

Single Purple Butter London Print

Butter London 4 Bottle Print - 11 inch x 14 inch

Butter London 6 Bottle Print - 13 inch x 19 inch

Which is your favorite color?