Art by Kelly Louise Judd

 

I recently stumbled across this Kansas City artist's remarkable work, and fell head-over-heels for her achingly lovely, haunted world. Some of her pieces remind me very much of 19th century needlework and folk art! Flora, Fauna, eidolic maidens, and gorgeous gloom pervades her images.  I'm not usually a fan of the "retro"/pseudo-Victorian art that seems to flourish on Etsy, but I am somehow entirely smitten by these works; maybe because they have such a quiet, elegant spookiness. They actually remind me of days past here in Vermont, when I was younger and wore Victorian petticoats and spent a lot of time writing stories and exploring old farmhouses. (Why don't I do that anymore? Time to pick that back up.)

Take a look: website, etsy.

 

 

the dairy queen

I won this beautiful dress from the dreamy Etsy shop Trunk Of Dresses, via a giveaway on Lucky Lucille!! I couldn't believe my good luck, as this dress had my name all over it.

Every year my town has a festival to celebrate local agriculture, especially our rich dairy farming heritage. The true heart of the festivities is the Strolling of the Heifers, a fabulous parade where calves don wreaths of flowers to strut down Main Street!!

 

Aren't they beautiful?

At the historical society I found the 1892 prototype of my dress. Then as now, we love us some black lace collars and a b/w palette. 

A matched set! I'll take 'em!

How was your weekend?

backwoods barbie

Gene Tierney in Tobacco Road (1941):

tangled up in green

 Can't believe how quickly Springtime turned to Summer, but it's really wonderful. I'm luxuriating in this Shakespearean Green World, in my natural habitat at long last after a rather grueling Winter!!

Now over the hill from me lies this 1818 church and 1800 one-room schoolhouse. There is nothing especially remarkable about such structures around here, but these ones have been out of commission for a long time, and remain perfectly intact portals into the early 20th century inside. I used to spy on it when I was riding my horse around as a whippersnapper; it's truly one of the most serene and graceful spots I know, on a gentle knoll flanked by meadowland.

{ For the grand tour, see here!! }

Dig those velvet Victorian Eastlake chairs behind the pulpit:

I am wearing a new-ish find here, a 1950s alphabet-print dress I picked up for $10.

City of the Dead! No old Vermont church would be complete without one. Not as old as the nearby Blanchard, but still in use, and so very picturesque.