An Apple a Day....

Don't you love apples? So crisp and crunchy ......and full of vitamins! But no, that is not the point of the picture. The point is my new colander!! Isn't it a beauty? I am so in love with it. It is the perfect size, has little feet so it stands on it's own and actually drains, and has the cutest star patterned holes!

 This was also a recent estate sale find, I really haven't gone to that many estate sales this year, this was from the same one I post about a couple of weeks ago, it was a gold mine! I think I would have paid four times the amount I paid, it is just so pretty. But then I only paid fifty-cents for it!!

Darling isn't it?

Don't forget your apple a day.......

1940 Home Arts Needlecraft

 Among my recent finds are these two lovely Needlecraft magazines. I have picked up quite a few now and am very excited as these are my first ones from 1940! Right around this time they changed their name from just Needlecraft to Home Art Needlecraft.

 Needlecraft has a bit of everything....... embroidery.........

Articles on homemaking....."Housework is lighter and easier since the amazing developments and advances in labor and time saving equipment and appliances. Electricity, gas, bottled gas, and kerosene are bringing undreamed comforts and conveniences to even the humblest of homes."

 Don't you love the ladies in their aprons hard at work?

Crafts..... A Pretty How-To-Do......."a simple to make party bag"....

 and of course Fashion!!

 this issue includes cooking......

......a patriotic Apron!

"A gay little apron of deep blue is trimmed with red and white polka-dotted fabric and simply decorated with daisies done in heavy white pearl cotton - for the 4th!"

 ........And more fashion! Such cute blouses!

Cream or Sugar?

I seem to be starting a collection of cream and sugar dishes, especially creamers. You all know I have a weakness for pitchers..... Mini pitchers are even cuter!

And if they are cobalt blue glass, so much the better! I was thrilled to run across this set at an antique shop recently. I have never seen a prettier set. Don't you love the detail on the rim? At one time it also had a platinum edging.

 I also have acquired these two creamers in the past year. They are so pretty I keep them on my dresser. I love the shape of the one on the left. It has a Bavarian stamp on the bottom. The other creamer on the right shouts 1920s to me. It doesn't have a mark on the bottom, so I can't be sure. But round shape + stripes + roses = 1920s in my opinion. What do you think? Can you imagine a marcelled matron in her drop-waist gown pouring cream from it?

Saturday Adventures

 Yes, we had a little adventure today. Mom and I decided to go to Trader Joe's. We don't have one locally, but there is one about an hour away. Or so we thought. Since we were going in the general direction, I also persuaded Mom we should stop at a small fabric store. I didn't have very specific directions but knew it was around an intersection of two main roads. We found it with out too much difficulty and had to turn around only once.

 

 After we browsed around and I found a few fabrics for my Hexagon quilt, we were on our way once more. Don't you think they will go nicely?

 What should of taken 30-40 minuets to get to our next stop, took an hour and a half! Yes indeed, we made quite a few little detours, turned around three times and finally resorted to calling my sister at home for directions. It all boiled down to this: I accidentally punched in the wrong address when I printed out the directions and we were on the wrong side of town!! We were a very hungry pair by the time we got to our destination. On the way home we decided to try a different route, Not sure why?? And of course we got off to a wrong start and had to turn around and then were not sure which road we wanted to take back......

We finally made it back home, but I think we ended up zig zagging around the entire county! Six hours and a gazillon miles, all for a bit of fabric and a few groceries!! But it was worth it.

For an apron, don't you think? Which one........that is the question!

A Few Small Treasures

Two weeks ago, I was able to go to a local antique fair. Was it fun!! I don't know if all antique fairs are the same way, but the vendors were more then eager to bargain! Something I am not use to. Thankfully I didn't fall in love with anything pricey and was able to stay within my allotted budget.

On to the treasures!!

These little cookie cutters were one of the first things I saw and instantly fell in love with! Just too cute for words. The lady who sold them said now I could make my own animal cookies! I think I have a recipe for them in one of my cookbooks, I will have to try them!

Of course I couldn't pass up a cute apron! Very patriotic! I love the stars cross-stitched on it. It wouldn't be too hard to make using the gingham as a guide. This style was very popular in the late 1950s.

And  few vintage patterns that caught my eye. They were the last ones and the vendor was trying to get rid of them. The pattern in center front is actually a blouse and skirt made from the same fabric. I guess so you can change the look of your dress. From day to evening, viola!

 This little lady was my splurge! Isn't she beautiful? In case you are wondering, she is a pincushion doll. Very popular in the 20s and 30s, one would keep her on the dressing table to put hat pins in. Do you see the holes in the porcelain around her waist? That is where the pincushion attaches, forming her skirt. I am envisioning one out of blue and pink silk.... 

Such a sweet face!

1937 Vogue Pattern Magazine

Gorgeous! I don't remember where I picked this up, but the styles are gorgeous. Late 1930s, one of my favorite eras! Aren't they all?! I love the mixture of slim elegance with a bit of the 40s structure seeping in. And the hats!! I could go on and on about the hats.....

"A maximum of chic.....a minimum of construction."

Snow-Swirl Chocolate Roll-Take 2!

 I finally made a real Snow-Swirl Chocolate Roll! Do you remember my first attempt? I set out to make it and then realized I didn't have enough baking cocoa. This time I made sure I had a good supply of cocoa! As I also had some left over cream I decided to use that as the filling instead of frosting.

The original recipe also states; frost if desired. I thought melted chocolate on the outside was a better idea! Not really, a little too rich. Maybe it was because I used dark chocolate...If I make it again I would just leave it plain.

 Did you notice the pink flowers? My new platter!! A friend was getting rid of it, so I decided to adopt it.

The same day, my sister and I also whipped up a Jelly Roll. I must say, it took the prize!! As wonderful as chocolate and cream are, luscious homemade raspberry-peach jam was no competition.

Jelly rolls have always been kind of mysterious to me. But once you have made one you find out how easy and simple they are to make! A wonderful light summer dessert.

Yum!!

Great Great Grand Aunt Elsa

 This is my Grandmother's Great Aunt Elsa (right). That makes her my Great-great-grand Aunt!! Say that seven times fast! Born in Finland, she followed her sister to America in 1913 when she was 19 and became a successful seamstress. I bet she made her lovely outfit in the picture above!

  In 1923 she married Nilo and they settled on a small farm to raise sheep. Even though she wasn't a seamstress then, my grandmother remembers the lovely things she made and the sheep she raised. Aren't they a dapper couple?

This is one of her sewing books. Years and years ago poking around in Grandma's wonderful closets I came across it.

Published it 1930 by the Women's Institute of Domestic Art and Sciences. The set consists of eight booklets covering just about every subject on sewing. From how to choose the right fabric to basic sewing stitches to making collars and cuffs to fitting and alterations.

One of my favorite sections, how to make a Jabot!!

Another picture of Elsa and Nilo later in life. Love her hat!