Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Havin' A Ball y'all....

I love making stuff...and having my big Sewing Room at funkoma vintage, "where the magic happens" (tm) allows me to churn out lovelies like this....now on the bod of The awesomeness of Jennifer Johnson...




I don't know about you, but I am real sick of winter...I have always disliked winter because it's cold, and I'm from California, nuff said.
But I'll say more. So, I'm setting out spring stuff in the shop already. I can't help it. I have billions of new things (er, vintage) and I think if I put them out there, Spring will come sooner.
I'm seeing the tops of little bulb leaves.....

And have I told you I have a Red vintage ruffly Tux shirt for the boys or girls whatevah.


Monday, January 26, 2009

Jerry Miller had some bad luck...


Moby Grape in a photo used on their debut album cover. Back (l to r) Peter Lewis and Skip Spence, front (l to r) Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson and Bob Mosley.

Moby Grape ! I was so saddened to hear that my fave California exile Jerry Miller (we also share the same last name...) suffered horrid flood damage in the last round of northwest flooding. He lost memorabilia, guitars, amps and personal effects according to The Volcano....A benefit will be held Friday Feb 6 in Spanaway...I'll be there!
[Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill, Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m., 16003 Pacific Ave., Spanaway, 253.507.7808]

Did I , funkoma vintage, or did I not just blog about him...and haven't I, funkoma, blogged many times about my beloved Jerry? Yes!
clicky here!

I have no doubt this is also one of the many reasons why I will drop my clothes at almost any moment....Naked If I Want To....
And since The Tressie Nostalgia Train has left the station, at the bottom, I've included one of my other favorite San Francisco bands...Quicksilver Messenger Service...2 vids....Fresh Air and...What About Me...


"No rock and roll group has been able to use a guitar trio as effectively as Moby Grape did on Moby Grape. Spence played a distinctive rhythm guitar that really sticks out throughout the album. Lewis, meanwhile, was a very good guitar player overall and was excellent at finger picking, as is evident in several songs. And then there is Miller. ...The way they crafted their parts and played together on Moby Grape is like nothing else I've ever heard in my life. The guitars are like a collage of sound that makes perfect sense. Miller-Stevenson's "8:05" became a country rock standard...."




Wish I could find this.....
I am so bummed for him, that I won't make any jokes about Moby+water...too late.
Here's some pics I stole off teh internets....















Quicksilver Messenger Service...
Fresh Air...


What About Me...

What About Me
(Released December of 1970)

You poisoned my sweet water.
You cut down my green trees.
The food you fed my children
Was the cause of their disease.

My world is slowly fallin' down
And the airs not good to breathe.
And those of us who care enough,
We have to do something.......

(Chorus)
Oh.......oh What you gonna do about me?
Oh.......oh What you gonna do about me?

Your newspapers,
They just put you on.
They never tell you
The whole story.

They just put your
Young ideas down.
I was wonderin' could this be the end
Of your pride and glory?

(Chorus)

I work in your factory.
I study in your schools
.
I fill your penitentiaries.
And your military too!

And I feel the future trembling,
As the word is passed around.
"If you stand up for what you do believe,
Be prepared to be shot down."

(Chorus)

And I feel like a stranger
In the land where I was born
And I live like an outlaw.
An' I'm always on the run..........................

An Im always getting busted
And I got to take a stand........
I believe the revolution
Must be mighty close at hand.......................

(Chorus)

I smoke marijuana
But I cant get behind your wars.
And most of what I do believe
Is against most of your laws

I'm a fugitive from injustice
But I'm goin' to be free.
Cause your rules and regulations
They dont do the thing for me

(Chorus)

And I feel like a stranger
In the land where I was born
And I live just like an outlaw.
An' I'm always on the run.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Handpainted Donkey Mexican Vintage Skirt

is one of the cutest things I've found in a long time! These skirts are usually painted with Aztec symbols or guitars, big florals, or cactus. They were made of cotton and painted for tourists in fun colorful Mexican motifs that would be a wearable memory of a 50s warm and sunny vacation. The style of the time was a big circle...just perfect for dancing and being impressive with a huge crinoline underneath.

Until January 28, '09, this one is for auction at ebay.....






Most vintage mexican skirts I've seen were made of an odd black velvet decorated with sequins. Sometimes you can find them with a matching top. Worn alone or together they make a darling ensemble for a party or a patio barbeque! The vintage handpainted Mexican skirt is wearable everyday...such fun to brighten up the day while shopping or running errands, and special enough for a casual dinner out with the family.

Here's a few other Mexican hand-made items found in the last year.







Click here for some modern day Mexican fashions.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Save the date....Artwalk...


for February will be special in a special kind of way..

Why? Because dear, not only is it Artwalk for February '09 in the year of our new funky president........
But February 19 is the One Year anniversary of the stupid and untimely death of old friend Steve Craig....


hard to believe he's been gone a year already...

We'll be celebrating, er, uh, remembering Steve...
and remembering his part in so many artistic art-like endeavors, people and parties...








AND !!
Steve Stefanowicz has agreed to play music for us here at funkoma vintage world wide headquarters from 6 ish to 7 ish........

I think your head will pop pop pop...from all the
Steveness that will be happening...
it's all happening....
02 -- 19 -- 09




first some pics of Folksingers In Hell...
you missed a great show......first David sat out on the street on a frigid Tacoma night...and wailed on the elektrik geetar...
Then he came to his senses and he and Heidi sang new and old songs of ye old folk...
Heidi sang her groovy song homage to Brown and Haley makes 'em daily Candy Factory Worker Blues!!
and David regailled up with The Suitcase Song for which he won an actual Cash prize !!








and I think you should now consider becoming a Myspace friend...then I can send you this as a Free Thank You Gift !!

Inside the shop.........Can you believe it?

MidCentury Modern








and uh, I have some new auctions on ebay, and adding new stuff to etsy, and if you can find the time...I have tons and tons, and I mean tons of new stuff in the shop...
Chartreuse loveseat.........50 MCM plywood chair....victorian carved furniture ...so steampunk....



ebay.










Wanna go to see it on ebay? clicky




Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Oh Happy Day !!


Michelle's dress...


and more on the First Family fashion and the 2 First Daughters who are not dressed like miniature prostitutes..

First ladies fashion....



The Mrs O blog...


A slideshow of Mrs O....

About spring color...

THE Poster...



From now on we'll have rainbows everyday, and a Unicorn in everyone's backyard...

Sunday, January 18, 2009

People Picked Me !

One of the many reasons I love etsy is for its artistic vibe...cool, clean and modern and yet....the handcrafted item is the Star of the Show....But they have huge category of vintage...housewares, home decor, books...all manner of the old stuff.......
It is always eye candy...and one of the most eye candiest features is The Treasury.
It's a part of etsy where etsy-lovers make beautiful lists of their favorites on the site....
A wonderful feminine steampunk vintage wool and satin 30s/40s coat of mine was featured recently by a Treasury Maker.... PickleValentine...

The Treasury is titled Chocolate and Licorice...
here's the link....mmmmm....tasty!

The Treasury expires Monday January 19 at 5:47 pm....
I guarantee...You'll crave more Treasury on etsy....
click here for the vintage clothing section....






(and a 60s pink spring suit was picked for the etsy widget by Carol, our Vintage Bulletin blogQueen, this week!)

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Best songs about Tacoma & Blogging & stuff

Love love this one about us....the lonely bloggers.....that Fewster is mad...and Heidi's songs touch me......and that child of his..Hannah.....what a big chip off the ol' block ........Artwalk night, Folksingers in Hell will be singing with us....

and I just wanted to mention that January's birthday is January 15th...she's 39. She's my first born. I love her more than I could ever tell you...no matter how many words I use....and aren't I a special mom, that I could arrange for a National Holiday just for her on her special special day??




here's a few vids....at the bottom.......
no intro needed for Neko...who used to dance with January for and with Girl Trouble...doesn't get much more Tacoma than that.......



not so much about Tacoma, but Fewster is Tacoma...


not about Tacoma, but named For Tacoma....and you never go wrong with a Leonard Cohen song....


So Just how BIG is Tacoma....well, I can hold it in my heart....


and because Jerry Miller lives here, and it's been toooo long since I got drunk and made him play this song, for me...Just For Me ! I mean, how many people met in SF in the late 60s/early 70s and then, independently moved to Tacoma??


And Chan Marshall doing a cover of my other fave Moby song.(moby GRAPE !)Naked If I Want To. I love this one soooo much because the lyrics really capture the times of my misspent youth, man....