Crazy 4 my collectables

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Moon Landing – Far Out Exhibit at SFMOMA

July 21, 2019 By: Fan

SFMOMA Far Out Apoll 11 — SFMOMA Far Out Exhibit – Astronaut Space Suits Apollo 11

It was on July 20, 1969 when the first moon landing happened with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins on the Apollo 11 and it was the most thrilling time for space exploration in our nations history and the world. I wasn’t born yet, but outer space travel, discovering new planets and galaxies, and that question of are there aliens or Martians and just the fascination of what would it be like one day for humans to live in space have always fascinated me.

NASA Space Shuttle Extravehicular Mobility Unit Suite

Yasmina Greco SFMOMA Far Out Exhibit 50th Anniversary Apollo 11

San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA) is holding the Far Out – Suits, Habs, and Labs for Outer Space exhibit July 20, 2019 – January 2020 showcasing artists, architectures, and designers who dared to imagine life far out among the stars. Exhibit includes works by Rick Guidice, Raymond Loewy, NASA, Neri Oxman, Tom Sachs, and others.

Yasmina Greco Coffee at Carlos's Country Kitchen Santa Rosa — Yasmina Greco having Coffee at Carlos’s Country Kitchen

Our day started with breakfast and coffee then a drive into San Francisco. Hubby and I attended the Far Out exhibits opening on July 20, 2019 the very day 50 years ago when Apollo landed on the moon. The exhibit was thrilling!! Set in a darker room with a circular theme (galactic theme) you can see immediately all the space suits designed through the years by various nations.

Clavius Base Space Suite from 2001: A Space Odyssey

Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey - IBM — Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey – IBM

On display is the space suite from the Stanley Kubrick movie 2001 Space Odyssey and we spotted the rumored IMB theory related to the movie and Hal when we looked at the right arm of the space suite and there it is IBM (pictured) Videos play of the moon landing, inside the Apollo 11 with the astronauts and you can see a video of the process of how the space suits were actually made. There are also lots of diagrams and blueprints of space stations and futuristic pods of artist paintings and diagrams of what housing humans might look like one day. We enjoyed the Far Out exhibit at SFMOMA very much and highly recommend it to any space enthusiasts or folks interested in space exploration.

We ended our fun day with a visit to Fisherman’s Wharf. Had some yummy lunch and the seagulls were very aggressive as one swooped down and stole my hubby’s fish-n-chips!! I wore my new Old Navy gingham wrap dress and I was so happy as it barely wrinkled and was so comfortable. The dress is very light and breezy and perfect for a day at the museum and having fun in San Francisco. I am wearing my standard 2X size and Old Navy is very size inclusive so the fit was very comfortable. It is the perfect dress for summer. The dress is currently on sale so hurry on over to Old Navy and snap it up before it sells out.

All pics by my sweet hubby Gary

A Taste of Italy at Ferrari Carano Winery

July 18, 2019 By: Fan

Living in gorgeous wine country California we are fortunate to have world-class wineries so close by and today we visited the exquisite Ferrari Carano winery. The drive was beautiful; it was sunny and warm with a breeze. We past so many lush vineyards and stopped to take pictures along the way. Harvest season has started in Sonoma County but there are still full grape clusters hanging on the vines and they are a wonderful sight to see.

Ferrari Carano Winery is about 30 miles from our home and is located in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg, CA. The winery is known for their Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs as well as reds and desert wines. Let me just say we were in complete delight when we pulled onto the property. The winery looks just like an Italian villa with grand arches, lots of architectural and ornamental details, beautiful windows and is surrounded by stunning ornamental gardens. There are several types of tastings offered, one of which can be experienced in the underground Enoteca Reserve Tasting Bar and you can see a remarkable barrel room on your way down and then there is the II Terrazzo terrace that overlooks the stunning formal gardens and vineyard offering tastings as well.

We spent time exploring the immaculate grounds and gardens. There are over 200 species of trees, shrubs, and florals so there is color year-round. Stunning bronze sculptures, bridges, streams, waterfalls, paths and fishponds are located throughout. It was such a stunning afternoon spent with my hubby in this truly magical location.

I wore one of my favorite Pinup Girl Clothing dresses, as it is such a lovely sundress and I accessorized it simply with a colorful cardigan and my vintage 1950s pink poodle purse. I received so many compliments on my outfit and visitors stopped to take photos with me. It is always so much fun getting to meet new people and it is so sweet when they request photos with me. We will definitely be back to visit Ferrari Carano and will be bringing all of our out-of-town visitors to experience the treasure they have created along with their exquisite wines!!

All pics by my sweet hubby Gary Greco

Curvy Patriotic Styles You Can Rock all Year

July 2, 2019 By: Fan

Curvy Nautical Patriotic Style - Yasmina Greco — Curvy Nautical Patriotic Style – Yasmina Greco

Hello my friends, summer is in full swing and the 4^th of July is in a couple of days. Many of you will be enjoying BBQs, spending time at the beach or enjoying your summer vacations. These patriotic looks I have put together come in a variety of sizes and many in up to size 4X so us curvy girls can definitely wear them all year as the key is in the mixing and the matching of prints and the quintessential red, white, and blue colors we love. You can easily take your outfits to the next level with accessories like cute novelty bags, shoes, and cardigans to rock your 4^th of July style all year long.

I love nautical style and really anything nautical themed because it is so classic. These four outfits I have in my opening photo are very patriotic with a nautical twist and they are so easy to wear. Nautical print dresses are so fun during the summer months and just image wearing one of these in The Hamptons, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Los Angeles, or San Francisco, wow, you will stand out with so much style!! You can take elements from each look and wear them all year.

Curvy Patriotic Style Caridgans Sweaters with Yamina Greco — Curvy Patriotic Style Cardigans Sweaters with Yamina Greco

Cardigans and sweaters can indeed work for patriotic outfits by adding the red, white, and blue colors to any outfit. All you need is classic styling and well-fitting dresses or skirts as your base. For these outfits I am wearing what I love and it is novelty prints and polka dots but, I turned them into patriotic styles by adding the red and blue cardigans. My retro Rocket sweater is one of my favorites and it screams patriotic with its red, white and blue colors.

I am obsessed with novelty prints as you know and I love a good novelty print skirt. Yes, a USA themed red, white and blue flag print doesn’t get any better for the 4^th of July but many of these skirts are classic styles with a retro twist that pair so well with red, white, and blue that mixing and matching is effortless.

Hope these outfits inspired some patriotic styles you can rock all year and being a curvy girl it is not always easy to find outfits that fit let alone enhance my curves but all of these outfits are by brands that carry a range of sizes and many up to size 4X and these are incredibly well-made and high quality so they will last many years and become wardrobe staples. Below is a list of all the brands featured in my post.

A big thank you to my sweet hubby Gary for all these fabulous photos.

Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Opening photo:

Crazy4Me Style Nautical T-shirt

Lady V London Nautical Swing Dress

Voodoo Vixen Nautical Dress

Retrospec’d Nautical Skirt

Middle photo:

Polkadot Swing Dress by Co llectif Clothing

Blue Cardigan by Heart of H aute

Rocket Sweater by Miss Fortune UK

Blue Polkadot Dress by Hell Bunny

Modcloth Collectif Gnome Swing Dress

Cat Print Skirt by Retrospec’d

Last photo:

Plaid Skirt, Top, Cardigan by Heart of Haute

USA Flag Skirt by Unique Vin tage

Blue Plane Skirt and Red Stripe Top by Pinup Girl Clothing

Peggy Sue Car Show

June 13, 2019 By: Fan

Hubby and I always look forward to the annual Peggy Sue Car Show and Cruise here in lovely Sonoma County. The car show features some of the most exquisite American classic cars and is so much fun. This year it was very hot and I don’t know if it was because of the heat but the turnout seemed smaller in terms of cars and attendees. Nonetheless there were some beauties we saw and I posed by them all. Here are some pictures captured by my sweet hubby Gary Greco and I hope you enjoy them.

I wore my fun Poodle themed dress, red cardi and my pink cadillac Kate Spade purse which matched up pretty nicely with the stunning 1959 pink Cadillac El Dorado!!

adillac El Dorado!!

1950s Chevy Bel Air - Yasmina Greco — 1950s Chevy Bel Air – Yasmina Greco

1959 Cadillac El Dorado - Peggy Sue Car Show Yasmina Greco — 1959 Cadillac El Dorado – Peggy Sue Car Show Yasmina Greco

Four Ways: One Dress, Styled Four Ways, Love Ur Look London

June 9, 2019 By: Fan

Yasmina Greco Love Ur Look Retro Pinup Dress Crazy4Me 1950s Atomic

Summer is just around the corner here in California so that means cool mornings, hot days, and cooler night temperatures and these kinds of temperatures can be hard to dress for. I am going to introduce you to a brand that I recently became acquainted with Love Ur Look London and today I am sharing the beautiful 1950s Atomic Dress that has become one of my go-to dresses for summer.

Yasmina Greco Love Ur Look Retro Pinup Dress Crazy4Me

Love Ur Look is very size inclusive with a range from Small – 5XL and in these photos I wasn’t sure what size dress would fit so I ordered from the size chart and 4XL would fit my bust so that is the size I am wearing in the 1950s Atomic Dress. I don’t want you getting hung up on size as most important is to find a dress you love and look great in that makes you feel beautiful no matter what the size on the tag says.

I love the print on the 1950s Atomic Dress with the starbursts and pops of red, green and yellow. The dress arrived rather quickly from the UK to me all the way in California. The cut on the bodice and the top has so much attention to detail and the dress is lined, made of cotton and the skirt is a perfect circle with ample fabric that holds the most stunning shape. There are also hidden pockets and a belt. I was so impressed by how well made this dress was and how comfortable it was to wear, the fit was perfect on my curvy figure, I tied the waist to take in the fabric and the style really flatters my shapes. The cap sleeves too look so pretty and I didn’t feel self-conscious wearing the dress without a cardigan.

For three of my looks I styled different colored cardigans, petticoats, and shoes to complement the colors in the dress. I love how easy it is to mix and match colors and accessories. Adding a necklace, earrings and purse can also be a great way to accessories the dress.

For the sweltering hot days of summer this dress is perfect because it is 100% cotton and will breathe and the style of the bodice, skirt and sleeves makes it so effortless to wear and you’ll look chic and stylish with minimal effort.

I can’t wait for my next Love Ur Look dress and skirt and am already making my lust list of what I need. I hope you give Love Ur Look a try as the clothing is incredibly high quality, sizes 0-24 curve friendly sizing, and has the retro vintage pinup style that makes dressing effortless and you’ll look gorgeous and feel beautiful!!

All pictures by my sweet hubby Gary Greco

Under the Sea: Collecting Vintage 1950s Mermaids and Fish

May 18, 2019 By: Fan

Yasmina Greco Vintage Mermaid Collection Crazy4Me

I am having a grand time enjoying my vintage mermaid and fish collection. These pictures are some of my collection I wanted to share with you. 1950s mermaids are so fabulously retro and kitschy that I am completely obsessed with them and have spent years scouring antique shops, flea markets, estate sales and online market places for the hopes of finding one of these rare sirens of the sea.

Thanks to the resurgence in the antiques and collectibles market this year after a 3-4 year slump, it’s a great time to start your vintage mermaid collection or adding-to an existing collection. In this post I am going to share some tips that have really helped me grow my collection and negotiate the best prices for these rare beauties and I hope you’ll screenshot this post and tag me on social media @crazy4me and let me know if you found it helpful. I’d also love to see the vintage mermaid treasures you are finding!!

Let’s start with a little background on vintage mermaids and the makers and manufacturers who made these so you are armed with knowledge on true vintage mermaids and not reproductions. And yes, even when it comes to vintage mermaids there are now reproductions in the market. The 1940s-1950s was the manufacturing heyday for these vintage mermaids and fish. Many of our mothers and grandmothers could buy these at the local five and dime and even at souvenir shops across the US and they were usually hung in the bathroom and around the vanity as it was lovely decor and most mermaids and fish produced were wall plaques.

Vintage Lefton Mermaid, Vintage PY Seahorse, Vintage Norcrest Mermaid, Vintage Umbrella Mermaid — Vintage Lefton Mermaid, Vintage PY Seahorse, Vintage Norcrest Mermaid, Vintage Umbrella and Parasol Mermaids

There were many potteries in California up and down the coast (the great California potteries of the 1940s-1950s) making these mermaids and fish such as Arnels, Ceramic Craft, Deforest, Florence Ceramics, Gilner, Freeman-McFarlin, Kay Finch, and Tropic Treasures. There were also manufacturers in Japan during this time producing incredibly high quality, hand painted, and embellished mermaids and fish like Artmark, Bradley Exclusives, CNC, Enesco, Josef Originals, Kelvin Exclusives, Lefton, Nameth, Napco, Norcrest, PY, Holt Howard, and Ucagco. Many potteries and manufacturers would stamp their items and include numbers and many would put their company name on a foil label and glue it to the back of the item. If the item were made in Japan it would usually have a stamp but it is not uncommon to find some really rare pieces with no markings or labels.

Yasmina Greco Vintage Mermaid Collection Lefton Norcrest

You can find vintage mermaids with blonde hair, red hair, and brunette hair. Some have the sweetest and cutest little faces and expressions and I think that is really what their appeal is. Mermaids can come with bubbles, parasols, with many different colored tailfins, and even riding on seahorses to really give the collector that ‘under the sea’ theme. Merboys (boy mermaids) are very rare to find (especially the German made ones) so keep your eyes open for these as well. Vintage mermaids can also be found as salt and pepper shakers, figurines, and aquarium figures that are usually 1-2 inches and made from either bone china or a ‘bathing beauty’ from the 40s-50s and made in Japan. You can also find vintage mermaids as vases and planters and even mugs or cups.

5 Tips for Collecting Vintage Mermaids and Fish

Top Makers to Look for: Napco, Lefton, Bradley, Joty, Kay Finch, Freeman-McFarlin, Norcrest, PY, Holt Howard. Tags and stamps intact.
Quality: Well modeled and painted features. Lots of details in the face and tailfin.
Damage: Tailfins not broken or repaired or chipped, fingers not broken or repaired. Hair not broken or chipped.
Fish and Seahorses: No missing rhinestones to eyes, no broken or repaired tails. Some seahorses and dolphins have chains so mermaids can ride them, is the chain intact and original. And they have rhinestones eyes in tact and not missing.
Price: There is so much demand for the vintage mermaids today and that has really driven up the price. Expect to pay on average for a Lefton or Norcrest vintage mermaid wall plaque that is 5-6 inches $125-$150. Ebay has really seen an uptick in auctions, you can still score an amazing mermaid for a fair price but you need to pay attention and be diligent. Best offers can also work in your favor. Facebook collector groups and Instagram seem to be the new trends in buying collectibles today so join these groups and get to know the sellers and members and it can work in your favor as well. If you are at a flea market or antique shop offering cash can get you a better price 20-25% off in many cases.

All pics of my collection by my sweet hubby Gary

Mermaid top by Voodoo Vixen

Mermaids I have for sale: Ebay