Indian Mama

Awhile back I mentioned that I had been given a vintage 70’s sweater dress by my mother-in-law. Well, here it is, as worn to a local art’s district event the Saturday before last.

I love this dress. It’s super cozy and Clover took one look at me wearing it and said: "You are Indian Mama!" Haha. I got quite a few compliments on it that evening. Guess who got even more compliments though…

… Oh, Gretel.

Though everyone kept saying “Aw, Little House on the Prairie…” and she would get all agitated, “Momma, I’m NOT Little House on the Prairie.” I had to keep reassuring her by explaining that the prairie dress was throwing people off but that she clearly still looked like Gretel.

Another view of the dress… the shoulder flap thingies are a fun structural element and I love their patterns and tassels. Oosa used to manage a senior housing facility and was often given things by the residents there, which is how this dress came into her possesion.

The vintage leather belt is one I found at the final flea market of the season. It’s currently my favorite belt.



The event, a funky little annual street festival, known as Winter Blast, is an artsy block party of sorts. It happens in the south of A Street (SOFA) area of Santa Rosa which, over the past 5 years or so, has become quite the bourgeoning little arts community.



Many of the buildings in the area have been transformed into gallery and studio spaces which remain open to the public during the festival. Wandering through the maze of converted buildings and back alleys, art and live music were abundant.

A local theatre troupe member as the little match girl from the Hans Christian Anderson tale. Saddest story ever, by the way.

There was a darkened hallway in one of the galleries that people could walk through with "windows" that were lit up with christmasy paper puppetry scenes and this girl who would pretend to be sad and cold as fake snow fell on her. She would take out matches, light them, and gaze into the flame longingly.

As you might imagine, Clover was fascinated by her and I think a bit concerned for her well-being (rightly so if you know the story). She was calling her "the cold girl" and every 20 minutes or so would want to go back in and check on her.


Our friend Joey and his WhiskeyDrunk Cycles buddies set up their awesome cycling contraption, originally built for this year’s Handcar Regatta (one day I will do a catch up post on that event). The “Whiskey Drome” was constructed in homage to the turn of the century velodromes that would travel the country to wow spectators.

Specifically, Keith’s Bicycle track of 1901.

That night they even had a band playing in the middle as they rode, which was pretty cool. Here’s a little video I shot of the Whiskey Drome in action!