Jamie Janosz

Recently, at a dinner party with my new friend, Trina ( Retro Fashion Is My Passion ), we were talking about our fashion inspirations. Someone asked Trina why she loved vintage clothing, and she said it traces back to Barbie dolls. As a young girl, her mom let her play with her original Barbies. They came with a flip book of fashion styles - and Trina remembers loving the vintage details of those dresses. I grew up in the late 60s and early 70s, and I don't particularly love that era of clothing. I remember crushed velvet, bell bottom jeans, and patchwork denim. What I do love are the clothes that my mom wore when she was dating my dad in the late 50s. My mom is my fashion inspiration. She has always looked stylish - no matter the era. When she was young, she always struggled with being too thin (also like me). Her fashion icon was Audrey Hepburn - also my favorite - because she made the most of her tiny features and was always graceful and classy. Here is my mom headin

When we fell in love with mid-century style, it meant giving our plain-jane, modern, split-level home a retro feel. I also quickly learned that reproduction modern items could be pricey, and (sometimes) we couldn't find or afford what we needed to make our vintage look complete. After reading some other decorating blogs, I thought I'd share a few of our quirky, mid-century, do-it-on-the-cheap projects. Project #1 - What do with a long, plain hallway? Our hallway was basic beige and the major view out of our living room. We decided to paint it a soft aqua green, and panelled it halfway up with an inexpensive bamboo paneling. We trimmed it in a slightly darker molding to match the pre-existing molding in the home. Probably the biggest improvement was giving some detail to the far back closet door. While I loved the storage for sheets and blankets, the door way was dark and blank. I faux painted - with simple light ivory paint, measuring out a HUGE diamond ont he doo

As an English professor, I guess it is a given that I love to read. I am very unsettled when I am not immersed in a book. One of my Facebook friends and former students, shared a post about the book list of Rory Gilmore. I am a HUGE fan of the Gilmore Girls television series - and love the fact that the main character, Rory, is an avid reader. All of these books or movies, listed below, were mentioned in the series. How many have you read? I've starred the ones that I've read (or seen the movie if it was the more popular option). By the way - if you haven't tuned in yet to the new series by the creator of the Gilmore Girls - you need to do so! Bunheads, which airs on ABC Family, is funny and features cameos from your favorite GG characters. They also air repeats on their internet site. I love Amy Palladino's writing and look forward to more of her character-recommended books to add to my bookshelf list! * 1984 by George Orwell * The Adventures of Huckleberr

I must admit that I am more than a little anxious to watch tonight's TLC's premiere of "Make Way for Honey Boo Boo." The trailer features the most precocious girl I have ever seen with a wide face, blonde curls, and loud southern drawl. Her sister states for the camera, "We aren't rednecks. We have all our teeth." Every time I see it, I can't help but smile. But yesterday, on the same channel, I saw another trailer for a show about conjoined twin girls. I hate to admit this, but I was both fascinated and shocked. I didn't know whether to hide my eyes or stare as the two-headed teenage girl(s) interacted with friends. At first I wasn't sure if it was a real show or a joke. It is real. The show follows a whole list of other shows, aired on TLC, that seem to satisfy America's curiousity for the obscure, the odd, the spectacle. The concept is not a new one. Following the lead of renowned American circus entrepreneur P.T. Barnum who

It's been 22 years since I met Milt Janosz. July 28, 1990. Who would have guessed that these two cute kids would end up together? I love him as much today as I did back then! Plus, he still likes to wear crazy hats like the one below...