Happy National Tell A Story Day

 

image from Time magazine

Children's Crafts: Paper Animals for 1917

 From Handicrafts for the Handicapped, a set of paper animals for a sick or invalid child to cut out and play with - in the days when Mamma was not only cook, housekeeper, washerwoman and seamstress, but also nurse and occupational therapist.  The book can be found on the Internet Archive.  

Vintage Knitting - Slippers and a Hat from 1960

 

From the 1960 edition of McCall's Golden Do-it Book, here are some beginner, straight-line knitting projects and quick to make. This marvelous book is available for one-hour loan only at the Internet Archive.

Vintage Children's Crafts - Milk Carton Toys from 1976

 

From a great and fun book called The Woman's Day Book of Gifts To Make, published in the mid-1970s (which is when I think home crafting with humble supplies really peaked in this country.  So many craft magazines after that rely heavily on stores and kits).  Left-click  to enlarge.

Milk  in cartons is hard to find now, but orange juice is still around.  This book can be borrowed from the Open Library site.  It is free, but an account is required.  

Other Crafts - "Frilly Lacy Jewelry" from 1973

 

From Make it From Odds 'n' Ends, published in 1973 by the Pack O' Fun people, a variety of jewelry, pendants and earrings to make from string and acetate (a suggested source of the acetate - the lids to holiday card boxes).  Available as an online loan only at the Internet Archive. 

Vintage Furniture Crafts - a "Costumer" from 1915

 

From The Boy Mechanic: Book II, a free download from the Internet Archive, dating back to a time when your house might have one or two small closets - if you were lucky.  This is a grand book, full of interesting projects that in those dear dead days were considered simple enough for a boy 12-16 years old to make.  

Obscure Holidays - National Coffee Day

 

Quote of the Day

It was much better to imagine men in some smokey room somewhere, made mad and cynical by privilege and power, plotting over brandy.  You had to cling to this sort of image, because if you didn't then you might have to face the fact that bad things happened because ordinary people, the kind who brushed the dog and told the children bedtime stories, were capable of then going out and doing horrible things to other ordinary people.  It was so much easier to blame it on Them.  It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us.  If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault.  If it was Us, then what did that make Me?  After all, I'm one of Us.  I must be.  I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them.

No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them.  We're always one of Us.  It's Them that do the bad things. ~ Sir Terry Pratchett

 

Vintage Woodworking - A Whatnot from 1943

 

This is an example of what boys were expected to be able to accomplish, perhaps with a bit of help from Dad or the shop teacher.  From Popular Mechanic's The Young Craftsman, available as a free download from Archive.org.

The Online Bookshelf - The Rainbow Book

Subtitled Tales of Fun and Fancy, with illustrators that include Arthur Rackham and Harry Rountree. A free download from Project Gutenberg.

A Cliche But He Pulled It Off

 He went as Fluffy the 3-Headed Dog and I was Hagrid.  Half the second grade came as Ron, Harry or Hermione, so he had his picture taken a lot.

Suggestions Welcome

 

Next Friday the elementary school where the Little Man and I volunteer is having a "Dress Up As Your Favorite Book Character" day.  I really need some good (achievable) ideas for the two of us.

Christmas Crafts - Designs from 1953

Some holiday designs to trace, from the McCall's Giant Golden Book, published 1953.  Available as an online loan from the Internet Archive.

Vintage Woodcrafts: A Bathroom Zoo Rack from 1954

 Another gift idea, this one from William Hennessey's book Things for Boys and Girls to Make.  Available as a online loan from the Internet Archive.

Children's Crafts - Hallowe'en Disguises from 1953

 

Sneaky disguises to cut out and wear, from the McCall's Golden Book, 1953 edition.  This, alas, is not one of the ones you can download for free from the Internet Archive, but you can check it out to read online it in one-hour increments.

Happy National Book Month.

 

Woodcrafting - Puppy Bookends from 1954

 Intended as a project for kids, not adults, this comes from Things for Boys and Girls to Make, 1954, by William Hennessey.

Another downloadable treasure from the Internet Archive.

Bead Crafts - A Forget Me Not Chain from 1912

 A pretty beaded chain from Work and Play for Little Girls by Hedwig Levi.  Full instructions are in the book at the Internet Archive.

Other Crafts - Ribbon Trimmings from 1925

Instructions on how to make frills, plaits, roses, rosebuds, daisies, and any number of other trimmings beloved by early 20th century seamstresses.  Free download from the Internet Archive. 

Online Bookshelf: Millions of Cats

Millions of Cats, by Wanda Ga'g, published 1928.  Available as a free download from Project Gutenberg.