Meet My Head Vase Friends

    Today I'd like to introduce you to some of my very favorite friends, my small collection of head vases. Maybe some of you remember the lady head vases that were so popular during the 50s and 60s. I am not exactly sure when they were at their peak of popularity; I do remember seeing them in the 60s. In case you are not familiar with them, these flower vases were made to look like women's head. When you put flowers in the vase it made a beautiful and fun arrangement. I think I remember that the flower shop I work in years ago had one or two, but not more than that at one time.

    A couple years ago, I rediscovered these little girls on eBay, and of course bought one. I discovered the collectible ones are expensive, and I couldn't make myself spend the money for them. I bought several that had little chips on them that don’t bother me at all. They are still pretty.

    It was then that I discovered a line of head vases, called Cameo Girls. These were created and designed by Debbie Kaspari for a company named United Design. The designer researched women's hairstyles, costumes, historical events then faithfully recreated each of the eras depicted. I think there were like 12 to 16 different ladies, who then were dressed as different characters.

    I simply adore these little pottery head vases; I think I have 5 different one. At one time I was able to give them wholesale and sold them on eBay. Last week, I decided to buy myself one for my birthday. I bought “Abigail, 1858” called Amazing Grace. Each one of the ladies comes with a darling story. “Abigail 1858” is dressed in a day town dress of green. She is singing Amazing Grace and is praying as women did in the mid-1800s.

    I did a little research online, and found out that the cameo girls have not been made since 2004. They were very, very popular for head vase collectors. There is an annual head vase convention held in Florida each year, and the designer Debbie would make a special limited edition for attendees of the convention. I wish now that I had bought more, because the price of the collectibles has gone up.

    I have to tell you one other thing about my head vases. I have one sitting in each room of my house, and of course have them all named and talk to them. One thing that I just love about these little girls is they do not talk back, they do not tell me I'm wrong, they laugh at my jokes, and keep me company. Of course they don't mind if I am online blogging or twittering in my nightgown.

Remember the word of the month: Envision

Porter and Dolly

   We happened onto a rerun of the old Porter Wagoner show on RFD-TV and enjoyed every minute of it. I’d say that show is an “oldie but goodie” but of course, so are Bruce and I. It did bring back so many good memories, especially since we are both big fans of Dolly Parton.

   The Porter Wagoner Show was on for more than 20 years, starting in 1960. Porter always worn his rhinestone covered, custom-made western outfits. Porter sang several solos backed up by his band the Wagonmasters, and sang duets with the female singer, first Norma Jean and then Dolly Parton. Usually there was another C&W guest star on the 30-minute show and of course, they included a gospel song.
   Dolly Parton began singing on the show in 1967. Watching the rerun we had to laugh at this very young Dolly all dolled up with her big hair and fancy outfit. Bruce and I have both adored Dolly from the early days of her very successful career. Porter is credited with giving Dolly her start; however look at all she has accomplished since she left the show in 1974.
   We show our age when we made statements like “that was when you could sing along” or “they don’t make music like that anymore”. That’s OK, each generation has their own music. Bruce and I are just so happy we are in the “Elder Generation” and can sing along with Porter and Dolly.

Empowering People with Disabilities

People First: Empowering People With Disabilities is a project on Bloggers Unite. I have written three articles on the subject on my blog MissDazey Notes. I like doing the Bloggers Unite projects, a good way to spread a message and/or support a good cause.

Women Added to Household Income

    Women, especially Mothers, seemed to be the practical people of a family, budgeting each week to stretch the household money. For as long as I can remember, women have figured out how to make a little extra money. In the old movies with a rural setting the Mother in the family set aside her egg money. It would only be used for emergencies and something very special. Some Mothers sold vegetables from large truck gardens. Others sewed or sold bake goods.

    I remember my own Mother did several things to make a few dollars. Once she became a Stanley dealer and gave parties. This was in an era the men were the breadwinners, at least in our family. This was long before women’s lib or the term WAHM. My oldest sister ironed…yes, ironed to make extra. I think the going rate was a quarter a garment, and most clothes were cotton. She also was a very skilled cake decorator and though many years did many beautiful wedding cakes. She would save up until she had enough to buy something special for the house.
    During my kid raising years, party plans were very popular. It seems I was always being invited to another Tupperware, jewelry, or Mary Kay party. I actually went to very few because I had 5 kids to feed and clothed. Of course these parties were sales events, but also an important social occasion, great way to catch up on gossip too.
    Several things were stressed to the dealers in the training, but two very important things. First, you are your own boss; this is your chance to build a business through hard work. The second thing dealers were taught were good business practices, basic bookkeeping and inventory control. However, the number one thing to be successful…sell, sell, sell and recruit, recruit, recruit.
    Today most women work or run businesses. Both men and women have opportunities for being in business or just adding to their income. The internet alone had opened doors we didn’t have only a few years ago. I am a big fan of Watkins, eBay, and Etsy, but there are literally hundreds on things out there. Yes, there are untold numbers of scams, but if one does their research you’ll find a good match for your personal skills, talents, and passions.

Singing Telegrams

I’ve from Linda’s – I’m Cinnamon Sam

   Have you ever had a singing telegram sung to you? It is the one of the sillier fads that come and go, but also a very amusing way to celebrate almost any occasion. For a short couple of years I did singing telegrams dressed in a bear suit. Cinnamon Sam was the logo at that time for Linda’s Flowers where I worked. It was the most enjoyable thing I had ever done; I still have fond memories of those days.
   Now before I go any further, I must clarify something. I am aware that there are striptease message services around, but this was not one of those things. Period!
   I think I started working at Linda’s in 1980 and the singing telegrams started that fall. Linda had arranged for a plush toy company to make Cinnamon Sam teddy bears and to make two adult size shells to use for promotions and what not.
   This is how it worked: we would get an order for a singing telegram, then either Sam, one of the owners, or I would write a personalize song for the occasion, I’d dress in the suit and go surprise the victim, I mean honoree. They would get a copy of the song plus balloons or flowers. Of course, everyone around got a tremendous kick out of watching the embarrassed person being surprised.
   Springfield is not that large of city so the word of mouth spread this new idea. I don’t think we missed a business, restaurant, Country Club, church social or private party for two years. No one knew a grey haired woman almost 40 was in that suit. Actually, I had a good singing voice, but it would not have mattered, most of the time people were laughing too hard to hear. One important thing was each message was personalized, which seemed special to each receiver.
   Besides doing singing telegrams, I did a lot of promotions in the suit. Like standing near the street waving at cars. At Christmas Linda took Cinnamon Sam around to her best business customers to sing a special Merry Christmas song. Oh, the hugs I got then!

  

I am sorry I don’t have a picture of Cinnamon Sam. I have kept one of the stuffed bears all this time; he’s dirty but still huggable. He is sitting with my good friend MissRose on my front porch in this photo.

Family Businesses

This is a repeat of a post I wrote for a new blog, one on Business.

I decided it fit into this blog also.

   I have always been interested in business especially small family owned ones. Thinking back over my life, there have always been family members who ran businesses, were selfemployed, or were farmers. (We all know how hard farmers work and that their farms are a business.) 
  Some of my very first memories are of my paternal Grandparents, John and Bethany Hull and their general store in Old Field, MO. It was just like the general store in the TV show “The Waltons”. Attached on one end was an area for feed and ice. I do not know how long they had the store, but my dad always said they gave people credit during the depression years. Grandma ran the store while Grandpa was a cattleman. He bought and sold cattle and could out smart all with his sharp “dittering” skills. I remember as a very little girl going to the sales barn with him.
  I don’t know the history but I do know my mother’s mother also had a general store a couple of different times in the 1920’s and ‘30’s.
  My dad owned a garage and farm for a while when I was a kid. After they retired, my folks bought a small town grocery store. That didn’t work out for them, but they did try.
  My first husband was a bricklayer; together we owned and ran Dickens Masonry. All of my sons grew up working for their dad, usually without pay. It was a family thing, just like being a farmer’s son. One of my sons ran the business for a while after his dad passed away.
  When I had my first paying job, I learned I had a head for business. (I was almost 40, until then I’d “just been a housewife” Oh, do I hate that term) This will be the subject of several “who’s MissDazey?” journal posts. I actually am very skilled and experienced now in both retail and market research.
  I was fortunate to meet Bruce several years ago. Now, you talk about a smart businessman, he is that. His degree is in economics. He was VP of Sales and Marketing for Campbell 66 Express for 30 years. After that, he had a couple of businesses related to the transportation field. And after that he drove a school bus.

Next time, I want to write about KAMO Karaoke.

Mr. R and MissDazey

   Several months ago I wrote about Bruce and my marriage ceremony in Eureka Springs, AR. It was delightfully funny and I assume legal. That post can be read here.

   I thought it might be fun to tell how we met. We met via the Internet in 1998, back when things were much nicer online. I was housesitting for a friend who had WebTV and came across a dating site. It was free for women, so I put a small listing on, no photo. A week or so later I was visiting my friend and she asked if I wanted to check my email since I usually used the computer at the library.
   Much to my surprise I had a message from a guy to my little ad. (There were a couple of dirty replies too, which I deleted) This was a very well written letter, not too personal, written by a man in my age group. (I was then 56, he was 63) Then I got to the very last line which read something like this, “Since I live right here in Springfield…” What? Here? I was so surprised I had to reread the message 2 or 3 times. “What shall I do?” I asked my friend. Of course, I answered him, gave him my phone number, and went home wondering if I’d done the right thing.
   OK, here is the stranger part of the tale. At that time I was unemployed, broker than broke, and was preparing to move out of my apartment the end of the month. This was not the time to meet anyone, much less think of romance. However, I waited for the phone to ring. The next day I went to the library and sent him the second email. After all I was moving out of Springfield in 2 weeks, I didn’t have time to be coy.
   Meanwhile on the opposite side of town my prince charming couldn’t remember how to turn the computer on and get online. He only had had the computer a short time, didn’t know too much about it. To this day I think my guardian angel helped him connect and find his email.
   Bruce called on Monday; we talked for a very long time. It turned out we knew many of the same people, which isn’t too unusual in a town as small as Springfield. He shared how he had recently lost his wife from cancer, they were married 39 years. You could hear the sadness in his voice.
   We decided to meet at a nearby Hardee’s on Wednesday for coffee. I think I knew the minute we met we were going to be together. He wasn’t sure what to think; after all it had been over 40 years since he had gone courting.
   The following Saturday he took me to Kansas City to a casino. It gave us a chance to visit, although I’m sure I was so nervous I talked too fast and nonstop. On the way home he put in a Roger Williams CD. Rogers Williams can play the piano like no one else and I had been fan of his for a long time. Again, this was fate, how else could two strangers like the same romantic music.
   OK, I’ll close this chapter except for one little story. We were acting like teenagers and decided we would for then on be Mr. and Miss Rendezvous. Even now I occasionally call him “Mr. R” and then smile.

Journey Stories

    Bruce and I wandered down to Branson, MO yesterday for my day out. We wanted to go before the 4th of July crowds arrived, during holidays the traffic is bumper to bumper. I have seen a story about a Smithsonian traveling exhibit that had opened I wanted to see at the Rose O'Neill museum. 
    We had meant to go there first, then have lunch in Branson. This little museum is way back in the Ozark hills, down an almost unmarked road. Anyway we missed the turn and decided to drive around Branson some to see if we could find this one new Mexican restaurant. Couldn't find it, so decided to go to one of our favorites that we hadn't been to in ages. I had intended to write about this little diner, it used to be so quaint and enjoyable. No longer, things have really gone downhill.
   Coming back home heading north we found the road to Bonniebrook, which is the home of Rose O'Neill. Rose O'Neill is the creator of Kewpie Dolls. Actually she was a very well know artist and illustrator in her day, 1920's I think. Her story is quite colorful. There is a short bio on the Rose O'Neill site. 
   The American Journey Stories was excellent as Smithsonian events always are. It is an interactive display on transportation in America from boats and horses to the space shuttle. One section was devoted to the dust bowl years, my goodness, those poor people.
   One super interesting selection was photos and information from "The African-American Migration Experience"  I've bookmarked their site so I can do some more reading and learning.