June Brides (part 2)

Here are the other two booklets I found at the estate sale!  

 Two little booklets dated 1944, from Good Housekeeping. Everything you need to know for a proper wedding; etiquette, trousseau, planning, announcements etc.

  Evidently the proper way for bridesmaids to enter was in groups of two. Interesting!

 Had to share this one too. Love the drawings!

The Trousseau list!

2 dozen pairs of stockings! I wonder how long that was suppose to last you?

 Front page in the Engagement book.

Not quite as many illustrations in this one. Lots of table settings though!

June Brides (part 1)

Look what I found at an estate sale this weekend! Tucked away in the basement with other books and magazines. You never what you are going to find!

"The Brides Book" 1930s and "The Brides Reference Book" copyright 1946.

 Inside of The Brides Book. It has places to record everything about the big day, including the weather. Love it! It was a free promotional from a local "jeweler and engraver". The illustrations are to die for.

"The Business of Being Mrs" that is what The Brides Reference Book is all about.

Full of advice (don't you love it?)...

... Colorful ads (my favorite!)...

  

 ...Helpful articles (from how to sew and cooking to how to organize your closet)...

...Decorating hints and how to choose a house...

...More advertisements...

...And cute aprons!

Be sure and come back tomorrow for part 2!

Jane Austen's Emma

Isn't this a charming painting?
Girl Embroidering by Georg Friedrich Kersting cira 1814. from www.pemberley.com
I love the open window and her reflection in the mirror. Of course I also love that she is wearing an apron!

Doesn't it remind you of Jane Austen? Lately I have been stuck on the new Emma movie. The 2009 version. It is so so good.  I just recently watched it again with my sister and cousin, giggling the whole way through!  It was about time someone made a really good version of Emma. The one with Gwyneth Paltrow was good, but too short. I love how this version brings to life Emma's family. Other versions don't feature them very much, but then the book doesn't say much about them either. If I recall correctly.

I hope everyone has seen it, too good to miss!

P.S. Becky dear, don't worry I am bring it up this weekend, so you will get a chance to see it!
And thanks K-Dee for the inspiration!

My Ladies

Today I would like to share with you my inspiration and what sparked my love for antique costume and vintage clothing.

"My Ladies" 

 My great-grandmother Ruth made these. She gave them to my mother when she visited one summer. Ever since I have been a little girl I have been drawn to them. They are made from fashion plates that great-grandma added "clothes" to. The detail is amazing! The fashion plates are from the mid 1860s.

My Ladies have always hung in my bedroom. I remember studying them for hours, dreaming I was a fancy lady. And marveling at how great-grandma made their outfits, I am not sure I have it figured out yet!

Apron Collection

My goodness, time flies! I had totally forgotten I hadn't shared my newest creations. Life has been a bit of a whirl lately. I think I made these aprons back in.........April?!

 This one is from a sewing pamphlet from the 1920s. I love the gathers on the side and the scallops, aren't they cute? So 20s.

 These two are the same, from a 1950s pattern I have. Love the pointed skirt.

 1940s, of course! With yards and yards of rick-rack. This apron took a little more brain power. Trying to sew the ruffles to the shoulder strap with a layer of rick-rack in the middle was a wee bit tricky.

Summer Vacation!

I just got back from a weeks vacation! In sunny Texas! As you can see I had a few posts scheduled while I was gone. But it is going to take me a few days to get back to "normal". Just wanted to let everyone know I hadn't fallen off the edge of the world. In the meantime, enjoy this blast of summerness!

Don't you love it? Those bright colors. So tropical and sunny! This is either late 30s or early 40s. The height of the "Tropical/South American" fad. Who didn't need a little "sun" at that time, just getting over the depression and then starting a world war.

It also reminds me of Carmen Miranda! Was she not the absolute picture of "Sunny South America"?

Weekend in Havana is one of my favorite Carmin Miranda movies. She has a part in the story not just as an entertainer but as a charater. Bear with the credits, it was the best video I could find.

What are your summer plans? Going for a Weekend in Havana?

Park Avenue Advert

Do you remember this glass from an earlier post? Well, my sister and I were looking through a few of my old magazines, and guess what she found??

From the Women's Home Journal 1946
Isn't that too cool! I can't beleive it was under my nose for years. Maybe that is why I like it.

New Aprons!!

Yey! I finally have pictures of my new aprons! I got these at my sisters local antique shop. We were so excited, you would have thought we found a rare treasure. There were a couple more aprons, it was so hard to decide! If they are still there next time I visit, I will bring them home.

This one is so pretty. From the 1930s. I love the scallops. Unfortunatly I forgot to get a side veiw, so you could see the scallops better and the cute little scalloped pocket!

The back view gives a better view of the scallops. They look a little like flower petals. I thought the back was very interesting. Apparently the seamtress didn't like how the neck strap was made, maybe it popped up? Very creative fix to the problem. The waist ties go through loops on the bottom of the "T".

Something about the 40s, I am very partial. The fabric is so cute! My favorite features are the pointed waistband and the half circle pockets.

An "H" style back.

This one I didn't buy. It is my sister's husband's Great-Grandmother's, say that seven times fast! It is really just on loan to me, so I can make a pattern from it. It looks well loved.

I love the one red and one white button! Now the question is, did she not like ties? Or did she not like it flapping (if it never had ties)? You don't often see this style of back. That straight front says 1930s to me.

Needlecraft - The Home Arts Magazine

Here is some of my newest finds I bought while visiting my sister. They are really fun magazines! Everything from canning, embroidery, sewing and knitting is found in them. Two are from 1935 and the other 1934. When I saw these, I knew they were going home with me!

I few pages showing applique and embroidery. I love how they have used buttonhole stitch around flowers (small circle at the left). I wouldn't of thought to use it like that.

Of course no woman's magazine would be complete without the latest fashions! And a few aprons! Don't you love the headline for Ball jars?

These are the back covers. Such gorgeous advertisements. A pity they are for cigarettes.

I tried to make the pictures big, as I just realized that you can't blow them up to get a good look. Hopefully you will now be able to catch all the details :)

Think Pink!

Did you know I love PINK? I have a feeling you have you might guessed that.

Is this not the prettiest pattern envelope? So 50s. It reminds me of a song from "Funny Face" (starring Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire) very aptly named Think Pink.

I love the lyrics. Love the dresses too!

A few more pink dresses from different decades.

Aren't they fun?

 I visited my sister last weekend and we always go to her local antique shop. I can't wait to show you my new finds! Just have to get pictures taken.