30 December 1956 “Christmas Gifts”

I know I have been on a sort of sabbatical from posting lately. I think the rush and excitement of Christmas left me not bothering with my computer to much, so I am rather late in sharing some Christmas gifts with you.
Here is Christmas morning. We forgot to snap a shot until we had already begun unwrapping. You can see Sophie, our little Italian Greyhound, has already been in her stocking and is happily chewing away on a treat from Santa. I chose, via the suggestions of my vintage magazines, to forgo simple green and red for wrapping. I chose Green and pink as a main theme and punctuated it with blues and browns.
Here is a little nosegay of ribbon flowers I made using the instructions I shared with you. This was for our Christmas swap this year at our family Christmas eve party. I made the vintage tag from an old image and used Hubby’s typewriter to type names on tags.
  Here I created a Christmas beach scene. It doesn’t look very appealing in this photo, but it was rather darling. I used glitter and glue to simulate sand and waves and made my own little clam shack. Here is a close up of the little house. What I did was scan some images I have from a book that reproduces early New England buildings that you cut out and create. They are HO scale if you want to use them in model railroads. What I did was scan it and then change the colors to light and bright colors like you find in these Mica Christmas village houses of the 1950’s. You can see the fun pastel shades and they are always covered in a clear form of glitter. So that is what I did. Next year, I may make my own village. If I do, I will share the plans with you. If you want to recreate this one, here is the full scale version I colored and is ready for printing. Just click on it and save and print. It actually has a little front and rear porch roof and railings and a little entranceway I did not add, but you could. I added glitter before I cut it out and glued it together. Just use Elmer's glue or homemade paste and an exacto knife. It is fairly easy to see how it goes together and put glue where you see the little dots. It all affixed to the lower right image with the yellow wood. Have fun if you make one! Change the colors up if you want. It is no longer HO scale, though, as I made it smaller for my package.
I thought I would share some of my lovely gifts with all of you. Now, much as a lady in 1956 would have done, all my gifts are not from 1956. I think, unless one was super up to date and modern, antiques and old things were just as appreciated in 1956 as today. In fact I have many books on collecting antiques printed in the 1950’s.
Rather I was in 1956 or today, I have always loved the 19th and earlier centuries. Here we see a lovely Paris Fashion plate from 1870’s (one of my favorite times for fashion) framed. It is old as is the frame. An actual antique little boy doll. A collection of Sir Walter Scott first printings and a little book by a 19th century Baroness. Hubby knows I am trying to brush up my French so I found these lovely French Novels and books in French. My French was always schoolroom French so my reading was much better than my speaking.
I was so excited to get this cookie press. I have been coveting one for ages. Now I can make proper Spritz cookies as well as other things. They are also great for making savories for cocktail parties or fun tea sandwich spreads.
Here is a good Spritz Cookie Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients. Fill a cookie press with dough and shoot cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If you like, decorate with sugar or sprinkles at this time.
3. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven.

I was surprised to see atop some of my gifts from my Hubby, these darling little vintage pins. They were used in place of bows (he always has been a great wrapper of gifts) Here they are close up. I love wearing pins. They are such a fun Vintage accesory and are usually affordable. You can use it to pin a scar around your neck, decorate a collar or dress, even attach to your handbag to add a little swirl of style.I also received these wonderful vintage earrings in my stocking. They are made from actual shells and rimmed in gold. Aren’t they wonderful. These will look great at Summer parties or boating. As you may know I have a set of vintage champagne goblets that are antique with a platinum ring. Hubby found, at our local church antique shop, a complete set of wine and dessert glasses that match! I was thrilled to say the least.
And you all may know as well that for my Everyday dishes, I collect and use the Temporama form the 1950’s. I have been lusting after the coffee urn for the past two years here in the 1950’s but they are hard to come by and when they appear on eBay are always overpriced. I was happy to see that Gussie and Hubby went in on one for me for Christmas, I was excited! And Gussie got me a gravy boat AND the matching plate. I once had the boat, but broke it in our move, but never had the plate. The plate is important for drips. I also received a new butter dish that goes with my salt and pepper and sugar.
I also collect antique bird cages. I have always been fascinated by old ways of keeping pets, and vintage bird cages are wonderful to just display or keep plants in or Victorian stuffed taxidermy birds. Or, in some cases, even a real bird, as this one may be large enough for a canary.
I felt my appreciation of older things validated as being “very 1950’s” when after opening my vintage bird cage, I was thumbing through my 1956 December McCall’s I got for Christmas to find this page. A very similar bamboo bird cage is shown here in a display for home. I loved that is used orange as well, as I like to use orange in my home because of all the warm wood tones.
Well, I have had a wonderful Christmas and I hope all of you have done as well. I am getting excited and a bit nervous for the coming year. I still have not officially ‘launched’ my new 1957 project as yet. We shall see, we shall see…
Happy Homemaking all and Happy Coming New Year!

21 December 1956 “Wrapping Gifts: Another Homemaker’s Art”

I think the presentation of gifts once had as much import as what the package contained. Be it the higher cost of things, the almost non-existent use of credit or simply the time allowed the homemaker, gift wrapping was an art.
This shows another aspect of the homemaker that is something I have come to hold dear: time. Many today might say, ‘Well, the little dear, she just had all the time in the world. And nothing to challenge her mind, so no wonder she spent so much time on making gift decoration”. Yet, consider giving less, taking more time in the wrapping and having the time at home to enjoy that process. Even if one were a working woman, wouldn’t you rather be at home, humming along happily to some Bing Crosby while snipping bows and fastening toilet paper rolls into little soldiers than out rushing through the mall, swiping that card over and over? I know I would.
Here we see a woman helping a wounded soldier with his wrapping.(Image from HERE) It is of interest to note that though scotch/cello tape was available, many suggestions show that glue as well as string were also used to hold paper on packages. In some cases, we are told in lieu of paper (think of during the war when there was little paper and little to give, one had to decorate as best they could and make the package as nice as the gift)to decorate the plain box with what was on hand. Here we see plastic spoons on plain boxes and even cutting out images from other paper to make a theatre mask.
The idea that the package can be as fun or as important as the gift is shown wonderfully here.This Penguin would do lovely over a bottle of wine or even, for the cook, some fine quality first press olive oil. I know I am always appreciative of fine cooking supplies and you might get a chance at a fine meal in return for your thoughtfulness to the chef.
This darling and kookie little guy is going to show up under our tree this year. How adorable and what a great way to make use of paper toweling rolls, toilet roll tubes or simply making a tube with scrap paper. We always save mis-printed or mistake computer paper. Sometimes that printer doesn’t want to behave or there it gets jammed, don’t throw that out. Not only can you cut it and staple it to make a fine grocery list notebook, it can go with the crafts for just such times as this, wrapping fun!
These three examples are fun ways to decorate that package. The last is ingenious and very green. They have taken a wishbone from a chicken or turkey (why throw it out!) and decorated it with sequins. Then, on Christmas day, the recipient and a partner can make a wish, ingenious.
I also love this idea where one takes one item and arranges it to look like another.Here it is dishtowels/tea towels arranged to look like baby clothes. Wouldn’t this be a lovely idea for a baby shower? You could fold cloth diapers to resemble this little outfit. Or men’s handkerchiefs could be used and see Father’s eyes when he looks to mother with that questioning look “Mother? Is the stork coming?”
These remaining images show some fun ways to make bows. What is interesting is the color range of Christmas paper, it isn’t all red and green. I have decided to do some pink and green this year, as I rather like it together and it makes me think of Spring. I found some plain green paper and pink ribbon.
  Following these images are the ‘How-to’ for these bows.Here are the instructions. All images are clickable to become larger.
   
I adore these roses and here are the step by step guides. I might have to make a pretty pink nose gay atop my green packages.       I like this idea as well, because the little seed packages atop a gardener’s gift (a book or garden gloves or little metal row markers) would be much appreciated. Especially since I will be starting seeds in January, it makes a Gardner’s heart beat quickly to get thinking about getting back to that soil.
So, I hope these ideas are not too late (many may have all their wrapping done) but they certainly could be added to gifts already wrapped. Enjoy and Happy Homemaking.

8 December 1956 “Make This Mouse & Fun Mail Order”

Continuing on some of our ‘Home-Made Christmas’ I had to share this darling little mouse. Now, I know it might be odd to give this as a gift, it is still a fun thing to make and keep for future Christmas. I also think his/her suit could be made in any colors and not look like Santa and therefore be a fun gift for a small child or someone who appreciates Vintage. Because, actual vintage is lovely, but things made now with love with actual Vintage patterns are very special I feel.
Again, we must remember that instructions and patterns back then were much more ‘adult’ in that they did not hold your hand step by step. But, I think if one takes the time to read the instructions and copy out or simply change the dimensions of the squares on the computer to 1” it would be fine.
And Just for fun, I love these types of shopping ads in my old magazines. They especially show up around the Holiday issues. Here are a few mail order ideas you could get for your loved one’s in Christmas 1956.Which of these little gifts would you have liked to get under your tree? The Ham? The Jumbo Ashtray? The Jet Age Model?
Have a great day and Happy Homemaking.

30 November 1956 “Home-Made not Ready-Made Christmas”

I thought I would keep interjecting the next week or so with  some of the home-made decorating, gift making, table setting ideas from my vintage magazines.
To get us started I thought this home movie of a family enjoying their town’s Christmas decorations would give us a good spirit. As you can see, many of these wonderful outdoor decorations are obviously hand-made. And, I must say, say much more about the industrious spirit and innate artistic talents we, as a people, once displayed. No going to the big store and buying the giant ‘fan filled plastic blow up’ Christmas decorations. These were cut by hand from wood, or fastened with other materials, painted and constructed with our thoughts and hopes. Anyone can go and buy something and, as our towns now show, the homogeneousness of towns with all the same stores seems to be true to our Christmas. Any town in any state in the USA may have the same things in their yard all bought at the big box store. Why even bother? Why not make something original that will have meaning to those who have them in the future.
“Remember when Father cut and made this Santa out of wood?” is much nicer than, “Remember how we bought these for a few bucks and everyone had one?” Not that they will last long enough to be handed down.
Any way, enjoy this:

This darling little tree decorated with ballerina’s would delight any little girl’s room. The little figures could also become anything: Little toy soldiers, Christmas Carolers you name it!
This tree could be made with all sorts of fun ribbon as well as the paper they used. A great way to use ribbon from previous Christmas. Try and save and reuse old paper, ribbon and cards. Why fill the landfill when you can fill your brain with ideas and your wallet with more money you DON’T spend on new paper and ribbons and decorations?!
This wonderful little tree could do well in a modern or antique setting depending on the colors and striped patterns used by you. It is made with yarn and left over or extra yarn is easy to come by. Why not even take an old moth eaten sweater that can’t be used for patching sweater elbows, making pot holders, or dolls, and unwind it and make a darling little tree. Father’s old sweater, rich with pipe smoke, that you recalled him wearing and reading the times is now a Christmas tree! That is what good memories, with no expense, are built upon. I think old ribbon and even garden twine would lend itself to this design, don’t you?
Here are the easy to follow instructions. Let me know if you make these and what other ideas with these plans you can think of. Home-made Christmas, here we come!
Happy Homemaking.

27 November 1956 “Christmas is Coming”

I am sorry I didn’t make a post yesterday. We had such a lovely Thanksgiving and so much fun and food. However, yesterday I had a bit of a 24 hour cold. I am feeling a bit better today and so this shall be a short post as well. I hope all enjoyed their holiday.
Seeing as yesterday was ‘Black Friday’ here in the USA (Crazy shopping day) I thought I’d share a couple Christmas ads. This first one is fun because it shows the style and graphics of what one would see in Christmas wrapping paper available from Hallmark in 1956. Fun bright colors and geometric shapes.
For the young one on the list this year, these View Master toys were probably scrawled in childish hand-writing to Santa. 
For the lady of the house, these higher end products would be a welcome surprise under the tree. $20 dollars in today's money would be $140.00 dollars. I am sure one could find an electric blanket very cheap today, but we must remember this probably lasted forever (in fact they are probably still around and working today) and were most likely manufactured in our country. Thus providing jobs and money for the holidays. I actually have that pink radio clock as it was my Mother in Laws and she let me have it. It was just stored away in the attic. She remembered having it as a teen in her room.
I hope all are avoiding the busy early Christmas shopping rush and getting into the Holiday spirit. I think we need, this coming month, to try and foster as much Christmas spirit as we can without too much emphasis on the consumer aspect. Maybe talk about and share homemade gift ideas. Home made ornaments and cookies and treats. Share stories and tales to tell around the fire in lieu of being to rushed about and stressed from spending money we haven’t got only to worry over the bills come January. Who is in with me to try and make this a less ‘Buying’ Christmas and a more Celebrating Christmas? And, when buying, local made or good reliable vintage!
Happy Homemaking.

4 November 1956 “Party Pics and Home-made Christmas Gifts: Never Too Early To Start”

I had a fine birthday yesterday. Here is a real snapshot of we gals on a vintage late 50’s instamatic camera. I believe it is the Polaroid land camera. My friend’s boyfriend (the girl on the far right in vintage hat) collects these old cameras, fixes them and even resurfaces the outside with new naugahyde and leather. The one he brought has my favorite 50’s blue where you see the green on this version below.
I had meant to take a picture of his camera, but forgot. I shall do so again to show all of you. He has quite a collection.
I am not sure where he gets the black and white instant film, but it is wonderful. He points, clicks, pulls it out and in a minute or so we have these wonderful pictures. This shot, though not on the old Polaroid, is our posed ‘bunny-hop’, let’s just say there was silliness had by all. I am lucky that my friends often dress very vintage for my get togethers. It makes a gal feel happy and rather ‘in the moment’. I have become so spoiled with 1950’s life that I often get a sad shock when I venture out to the ‘real world’ and wonder why everyone is dressed so ‘odd’.
Here is the lovely cake my friend made me.
You can see it is shining in all its 1950’s glory and it is home-made to boot. When asked what type of cake I would like I suggested banana walnut with cream cheese frosting. I got it and it was wonderful and completely made from scratch.
My friend said, “For anyone else it would have been a box cake, for for you I know I couldn’t do that”. She said she had never made a banana walnut cake before and at first was intimidated, but then was glad she did it.
“I even smashed the bananas by hand,” she beamed with pride. It was so wonderful and three layers! I send you all a virtual piece to enjoy. She then confided, “I had no idea how easy it was to make cream cheese frosting, I won’t ever buy it pre-made again”. So true, so true, we always found out the joy of home-made, the ease and the better taste.
Among my various gifts, I received a darling vintage silk scarf ( a gal can never have too many), my friends went in and got two new white-wall tires for my vintage bike (I shall ride on!).
I also received this record album, which I played while we played cards. When the can-can came on, we all wanted to dance and toss our petticoats, I can tell you.
I also was so happy when I opened a box to find this vintage chip-n-dip. It is styled very much the way I like. It has the “Early American” sensibility in the pattern, but the modern flair of the teak handles in little rocket-like lozenge shapes and all done up in brass. Here is a close up of the pattern and the pretty green (much prettier in person) It will look lovely at Thanksgiving, as the gold will match my good china (also trimmed in gold).
Such a wonderful day and I want to thank all of you for your warm and happy birthday regards on the blog, emails, and letters. So kind of all of you and I really appreciate it so much, I am very lucky indeed.
Now, I thought I might share with you some ‘home-made’ Christmas gift ideas. I have quite a few 50’s Christmas magazines. It is not too early to begin thinking about it if you are going to make any hand made items. So, for that perfect true vintage gift, I will share with you, over the next month, some fun ideas. 
Now with these gift ideas and the subsequent ‘instructions’ we must remember that vintage magazines for the homemaker assumed a certain level of skill. Or, I think, they gave the homemaker the benefit of the doubt that they were intelligent and able to follow written directions and take an abstraction and make it tangible. These items shown give you an array of ideas and tell you what they used to make the pattern. They DO NOT have pictorial step by steps to show how to literally do it.
What is interesting to me about this is that one assumes they are talking to adults. Now, I don’t mean that to sound patronizing or rude, but in fact, simple written directions paired with a finished product was deemed enough information for an adult to ‘figure it out’. I think today we modern people are so ‘led’ by our passive life styles that we really expect a long drawn out series of steps, with video, pictures and etc. In fact, we want an hour long show to demonstrate to us what one page of this magazine expects you to understand.
I think the step by step guides,though helpful, would seem almost babyish or elementary to the 1950’s homemaker or even home DIY’er. And, really, when you think about it, if you want to make some of these items, how hard should it be? If you want to make the blouse, for example, you can surely use a pattern for a blouse you already have, buy a pattern for a blouse to use again or use a ready made plain blouse. The instructions in using the flattened tea strainer and thimble are simple but one can figure out the placement by the photo or, better yet, make your own design.
The clothespin bag, for example, shows no pattern. Yet, we can see that it is made over a wire coat hanger. Therefore, take a wire coat hanger (or whatever hanger you prefer) lay it down on some paper and draw around it the shape you like. Remember to leave at least 1/2 an inch allowance (that is to say draw 1/2 inch bigger around than you want it to be when done) so it fits after being sewn. I think this a darling item and I want one! I love the vintage 50’s orange pink with the black old fashioned clothespin motif.  An apron in this color and pattern along the hem and maybe two clothes pins ‘crossed’ on the pocket with black ric rac on the edge would be adorable.
I have to say I LOVE the affect of the potato masher pattern on the draperies. These would make a great pattern on simple pillows to sew up for Christmas or hostess gifts, don’t you think?
Who will be trying any hand-made gifts this year? Do you like to receive such gifts?
Happy Homemaking.