Grrrsday

Crochet - Pillowcase Embellishments from 1950

Another Purple Kitty reprint of a Clark' O.N.T. pattern book from 1950.  The different patterns can be downloaded one by one from their Free Vintage Crochet site, or you can say to heck with it and buy the eBook.

Vintage Images - Valentines

It's less than three weeks away!

Loaf, Interrupted

I have tried three times this weekend to make bread.

Friday I made the dough for the twelve-hour, no-knead country bread recipe from Cook's magazine, one I've made at least half a dozen times before and always successfully. Imagine my surprise when I took the rising bowl out of the microwave (cook 1 cup of water for 2 minutes, remove the water and use as a rising oven.  No drafts.  I always set bread to rise in the microwave), instead of a high, wide and handsome Clint Walker batch of dough I got Gabby Hayes.

Oh, well, the weekend was young.  On Saturday I set my bread machine for a loaf of wheat bread.  What the machine produced -- again using a trusted recipe -- was a densely compacted tan brick with a decided list to starboard.

Was it the yeast?  Is my bread flour too old?  Am I perhaps a bit slapdash in putting my dough together?

This morning I downloaded this recipe from the Fleischmann's website and followed the instructions to the letter.  Unfortunately as I was in the middle of the mixing process the phone rang and I had to speak with a young lady from the Red Cross who wanted me to donate blood next week.  I returned to my batter, finished the kneading, placed it in the rising bowl and the rising bowl in the microwave ---

-- turned around and saw the package of yeast cleverly hiding from me behind the stand mixer.

It's a good thing the spousal unit likes whomp biscuits because that's what he's getting with his dinner tonight.

Caturday!

Quote Of The Day

I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, 'wouldn't it be much worse if life *were* fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?' So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe. ~ Marcus Cole (Babylon 5)

The Online Bookshelf - Captives of the Flame

Not much of a plot, but oh, what a cover.

Camouflage

...you're doing it right.

Sewing - Some collars from 1949

Spent some idle hours this weekend going through vintage issues of the Australian Home Journal (available for free download from archive.org).  These are some suggestions to fancy up a plain frock, from 1949.  Left-click to enlarge.

Vintage Advertising - Fatima Cigarettes

From Every Week magazine, June 1918.

Feed The Brute

“Home at last!” sighed Bettina happily as the hot and dusty travelers left the train.

“Why that contented sigh?” asked Bob.  “Because our wedding trip is over?  Well, anyhow, Bettina, it’s after five.  Shall we have dinner at the hotel?”

“Hotel?  Why, Bob!  With our house and our dishes and our silver just waiting for us?  I’m ashamed of you!  We’ll take the first car for home – a streetcar, not a taxi!  Our extravagant days are over, and the time has come to show you that Bettina knows how to keep house.  You think that you love me now, Bobby, but just wait till you sit down to a real strawberry shortcake made by a real cook in a real home!”

The authors of A Thousand Ways To Please A Husband were awfully fond of exclamation points and frugality, as a reading of this delightful 1917 cookbook shows.  Smart, thrifty Bettina charms her husband Bob and wins over her in-laws with the delicious and economical meals she whips up.

The first night in their new bungalow, she ties a percale apron over her traveling suit and fixes a dinner of creamed tuna on toast strips and canned peas, made possible by the emergency shelf the two of them fixed up before the wedding.  Buying in larger lots helps Bettina save money, something she knows Bob will appreciate “Now that you have to pay my bills, Bob.”

Bettina's larder contains the following:

6 cans pimentos (small size)            6 cans tomatoes

6 cans tuna (small size)                   6 pt jars pickles

6 cans salmon (small size)               6 pt jars olives

6 jars dried beef                             6 small cans condensed milk

12 cans corn                                  6 boxes sweet wafers

12 cans peas                                  1 pound box salted codfish

6 cans string beans                         3 pkg marshmallows

6 cans lima beans                           3 cans mushrooms

6 cans devilled ham (small size)      2 pkg macaroni

But the emergency shelf is just that -- for emergencies.  After tonight, Bob will get real food, not just canned things.

The book is a mammoth 488 pages but lots of fun to read.  A pdf can be downloaded from archive.org.

Caturday!

This is obviously NOT her Majesty's reaction.

Quote of the Day

The difference between a conviction and a prejudice is that you can explain a conviction without getting angry. ~ Anonymous

Grrrsday

Sewing - A Shoe Bag from 1952

Hmmm.  Didn't scan as neatly as I hoped.  Oh well, a shoe bag to sew for your closet, from Workbasket magazine, July 1952.  Three pages of instructions are on my Flickr account.

Vintage Images - Tobacco Cards

Copyright-free, from Dover.

Hints to Housekeepers

To Stop The Hair From Falling Out:  Wash the hair in just as hot water as it is possible for the person to endure, then take the scalp and gently pinch all over.  This is excellent.  L.M.P.

A Little Ironing Suggestion.  When the top of the stove is full and it is time to get dinner with still some ironing to be accomplished, the irons can be heated very nicely in the oven.  E.M.S.

New Ironware.  New ironware cannot be used for cooking unless it is first boiled.  I have found that the addition of potato parings and a little lye to the water is the best means of getting the new vessels ready to use.  I recently purchased a set of waffle irons and tried several ways to get them in condition to use and at last tried putting them in a clothes boiler with potato parings, lye and cold water and allowed them to come to a boil and remain boiling two hours.  The irons were ready to use and have given no trouble.  Mrs. L.A.

Modern Priscilla, January, 1915 (image from Patricia's blog).

Caturday!

Quote of the Day

The Proper Man

I saw somewhere not long ago, 

A saying wise and true, 

And thinking it is worth my while, 

I tell it now to you. 

'Twas this : — "A woman's always safe 

In marrying a man 

"Who's fond of cats;" I think it's so, — 

Just try it if you can. 

A man to whom the cats appeal 

Has very tender ways. 

He may not be a pious man, 

Nor one who gets much praise. 

But you will find a sympathy — 

An honest heart and true, — 

A generous soul, a helping hand. 

Does that appeal to you? 

He's apt to be a modest man 

Who won't be pushed too far, 

For he has temper underneath, 

Though he avoids a jar. 

He has a lot of plain ideas 

Of what he thinks is right, 

And while he "puts up with a pile,' 

He's competent to fight. 

Now if you wish to married be. 

What is it that you seek? 

Though riches, wealth and family 

Might tend to make you meek. 

Your life must not be thrown away 

For such vain dross as that. 

Cast such aside and try to get 

A man who loves a cat.  ~ Elliot Walker

Grrrsday

Tatting - A Workbasket Doily from 1954

A very geometric, "atomic age" doily, from Workbasket magazine, September 1954.  Two pages of instructions are on my Flickr account.

Vintage Images - Poster Art

Copyright-free, from Dover.

Sins of Omission

A recipe for Chili con Carne from a Mrs. Esbern Hanson, Grayling, Michigan (1937).

One lb. roundsteak cut up in very small cubes.  Fry in butter slowly until tender.  Fry chopped onions in butter until done.  Put together in a kettle and add 1 can mushrooms and a few sliced stuffed olives, 1 can kidney beans, about two pimentos cut up fine.  Salt, pepper, cayenne.  thicken with flour and water thickening.  Serve on lettuce leaf with buttered roll.

(Walnut Pickles and Watermelon Cake; a Century of Michigan Cooking, by Larry B. Massie and Priscilla Massie, Wayne State University Press, 1990).

An Unusual Juxtaposition

The words "U.S. Marine" and "chamber music."  Wait until you see Gunny Sato let loose with the piccolo part.

Caturday!

He Says The Sweetest Things

The spousal unit is watching the Military Channel in the other room.

He (completely seriously):  Von Steuben could have used you.

TGIF

Immunization clinic RN:  Does EmPrep have any booties?

Me:  You mean the little blue disposable footy-things?

Immunization clinic RN:  Yeah.

Me:  I'm afraid not.  What do you need them for?

Immunization clinic RN:  This is one of those "you don't want to know" situations.

Grrrsday

And A Happy New Year

(I have made none of these).