April Gold

Spring has finally sprung here in Wisconsin! The dafodills and forsythia are in bloom!

They always remind me of April Gold by Grace Livingston Hill. In the book she calls her daffodils and forsythia her "april gold". They are so cheerful to see in the spring!

Have you ever read April Gold? It is such a cute little story. Copyright 1936. It is about a mother, son and daughter who have to sell their family home and move to the wrong side of town because they have lost their money. How they settle into their new life and make it through with determination, family and God. I love the part where the mohter misses her "april gold", so the son digs up all her daffodils and forsythia, and re-plants them at the new house.

I love Grace Livingston Hill books! They are so sweet. And give a good picture of living in the 20, 30s, 40s. Even though it is romantizied!

Federal Glass Pitchers

Here is another of last weekend's finds! A small Starburst pitcher made by the Federal Glass Co. These were very popular in the 40s and 50s, I always see quite a few in the antique stores. I had been wanting another one and was trying to decide whether I should really spend money on another pitcher! (but a dollar! who can beat that!) On the left is the new one, on the right is the first one I bought a few years ago. These pitchers came in three sizes, so I still have one more to go. A lager one, I think. They are too pretty!

Also, in the last scene of State Fair, Mrs. Frake uses the same exact pitcher to serve lemonade on the porch!! Isn't that neat! One of the reasons I decided I needed them. State Fair is one of my favorite movies. I love how simple the story line is. And the songs are marvousless!! Who can do better then Rodgers and Hammerstein. Unfortunatly, I couldn't find a clip of the last scene. So I have included a clip of It Might as Well be Spring instead. But! In this song Margy and Mrs. Frake are both wearing aprons! So take note! I think I need to make a Margy apron, don't you? Too cute!

New Finds!

This weekend we went to estate sales!! One of my favorite things to do. Not only do you get to go shopping, you get to tour a house as well! I saw so many lovely things that I wanted to bring home. But either I didn't have a place or purpose for them or they were out of my price range. :( I did find a few goodies though. A few books, a box of trim, garden tools, a glass pitcher.

Today I am sharing two of the books I bought. The first, a small cookbook copyright 1936, "Baker's Best Chocolate Recipes"

The pictures are so cute! Love the coffee pot.

Next is a book from 1947, "How to Make Paper Flowers and Party Decorations". It just looked intriguing. It tells how to make favors, flowers, centerpieces and decorate with crepe paper. Isn't that fascinating! That is certainly a lost art. The flowers are gorgeous!

How to deck a room in 5 minutes!

This reminds me of another book I have about parties. "Parties, for Special Days of the Year". Quite a cute little book with lots of ideas and games to play. Everything from a New Year's party to an Education party! Someday I will have to host one :)

Such cute little illustrations.

Vintage Dressers

This is another project that has been keeping me busy. My sister bought a new dresser and my Mom gave me one. And they BOTH needed painting! So out came the paint brushes and some new hardware, and we have two lovely pieces of furniture!

My sister Mandy, loves red white and blue, her bedroom is decorated in it. She mixed white paint and navy blue together for the pefect shade. It certainly had to be the perfect shade, that was all the blue we had!

The handles go so well and give the dresser a clean look! I think the dresser is from the 20s or 30s. It is very solid. The bit of scroll work on the bottom and little wheels on the legs are so cute. Mandy is working on finding a key to go in the locks, wouldn't that be neat?! So this is my little dresser. Probably from the 50s. It was painted a horrible mud brown when I got it. White is so much better! The blue knobs were from another dresser. I think they work very well. I am planning on putting this in my sewing room. A new home for my vintage pattern collection! And possibly thread, trim and fabric. All depends on how much room the patterns take up. I am so excited! I just have to do a major overhaul and spring clean!

My cute little knobs with blue flowers.

A Find from Holland

I found this bais tape with lace edging on etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/HollandFabricHouse

Mailed all the way from Holland! She has a lot of fun things. Very bright, colorful fabric and trims. It just arrived in the mail yesterday. To to cute!

I can't wait to sew an apron. I haven't decided what pattern yet. I am thinking 40s. As they loved ruffles and trim. I might make up my own pattern. Still thinking, but with this for inspiration, it shouldn't take long!

A close up. So you can see the tiny little Strawberries and Cherries! And the cute flowers! I almost didn't get the fruit one, I know! what was I thinking?!

Life has been rather busy lately. Tax season you know, and of course since I do really like doing taxes, I do them for the whole family! I was so hoping that I would have a bunch of aprons sewn by now. But I haven't had the time. They are still all cut out, waiting on my sewing table. I did sneak an hour or so of sewing in on Tuesday. I have a little half apron almost done! It was so rejuvinating to be able to sew! I am hoping next week I will get time!

Cinderella

I picked this up a couple of years ago at an estate sale. I love the colorfulness!

When Walt Disney came out with Cinderella in 1950, J. C. Penney gave this flyer out free. It looks like a magazine when it is folded up. As it opens up, you are treated to a show of color!

"It's Magic!.... how much you can sew! Take this apron design... You can make it as an everyday apron or as an apron accessory to lend the Cinderella touch to a dress-up costume!"

"...in sanforized silvermoon prints! ...in sanforized needle and thread broadcloth!

...in crisp printed waffle pique!"

"Eyelet edging! Rick Rack! Bright Patches!"

The inside opens to reveal the pattern. I can't wait to make one! I love the curved edge and how it ruffles. Too bad J.C. Penney doesn't sell fabric any more..... we could use another fabric store....

Vintage Ads

Aren't they cute! And just what we need, a bit of spring!

Miss K-Dee send me this link to a collection of vintage ads at Duke University http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/ Here are a few of my favorites. I love how colorful they are.

Of course I had to post this one! An apron!